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CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS 



IN LOUISIANA, '63 AND '64, 



AND WITH 



SHERIDAN IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY 



IN '64 AND '65. 



Frank JNl . Flinn. 



AUG 22 1887^) 



LYNN, MASS.: 
I'KESS OF Til OS. P. NICHOLS. 

1S87. 



7 



Copyright, 1SS7, 
By Frank M. Flinn. 



3 



PREFACE 



This book is intended to brinj^ before the Public the 
campaign in Louisiana and the short but decisive cam- 
paign in the Valley under Sheridan. It is not a history 
of any particular regiment or corps, but is a true and 
faithful accovmt of the movements of the armies un.der 
command of Generals N. P. Banks and P. II. Sheri- 
dan ; therefore, I have not mentioned the special brilliant 
charge of any one regiment, knowing that each and 
every one did their part as they were orderetl. I have 
left out a great deal of fun and amusement, l)ut it hap- 
pened just the same, for if there ever was fun it was 
in the army. 

The reader can rely on the historical correctness of 
the book as near as any one individual can tell the story 
of three years' campaign. 

I will here take the opportunity to return my thanks 
to comrades of the dilTerent regiments and corps for the 
use of diaries, without which this book could not have 
been published. Especial thanks are due Colonel 



PREFACE. 



Charles 11. Taylor, manager of the Boston Globe, for 
it is greatly due to him that this history saw light; ami 
as " the object of the expedition is accomplished," I 
will commit the book to. your care, and remain, 
Yours truly, 
In Fraternity, Charity, Loyalty, and Sobriety, 

F. M. Fi.iNN, 

Lj'iin, Mass. 



CONTENTS 



CAMPAIGNING WITH RANKS. 

CHAI'J-ER 1. PAGE 
An Unwritten Part of the History of the War. — Scenes and Incidents of 
Soldier-Life in the Department of the Gulf. — From tlie Bay State to 
Baltimore : a Vivid Story 1 

CHAPTER II. 

General Butler's Napoleonic Farewell Address. — The Bohliin Boy takes 
Command. — New Year's Day in New Orleans. — Army Life in the 
Swamps and Low-lands of Louisiana 10 

CHAP 'J' E R III. 
Farragut's Fleet Before Port Hudson. — .A Dreary, 'I'iresomc March, and 
a Still More Dreary Night. — A Skirmish with the Rebels, and a Ni^ht in 
a Louisiana Swamp 21 

CHAPTER IV. 
Sailing Down th.e Mississippi from Baton Rouge. — Coming into Action. — 
'I'he Transports Under Terrible Fire of the Enemy. — Camp Life in the 
Louisiana Low-lands. — An Interesting Story 27 

CHAP T E R V . 
Brave Conduct of the Union Soldiers Under Fire. —Generals Banks and 
Emory Made the Target of Rebel Sharpshooters. — The Retreat of the 
Rebels. — Banks Shelled by the Diana 3?> 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Bobbin Boy's Coolness Amid Flying Missiles. — The Gunboat Diana 
in Action Tied to a Controlling String.— A Lively and Interesting -Sketih 
of a Sharp Engagement 41 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VII. i-AGU 
Gallant Work of the Thirty-eighth Massacliiisetts. — Advancing Steadily 
Upon the Enemy's Works Under a Fearful Fire. — The Rebels in a Bag-, 
but Held by a Rotten String 50 

C H AFTER VIII. 
At Close Quarters with the Rebels. — Lively Fighting. — General Dwight's 
Flank Movement on the Enemy. — A Grand Charge. —Graphic Recital of 
Movements Never Before Described 58 

CHAPTER IX. 
A Whole Army Engaged in Gathering Cotton.— Rebels Watching for Col- 
onel Chickering and His Train of Booty. — How the Gallant Colonel .Suc- 
ceeded in " \'ankeeing " the .Spies (;5 

CHAPTER X. 

The Rebels .Surrounded and a General Figlit Begun. — Weitzel Bound to 
Win. — Stubborn, Bloody Work on Both Sides. — G(jod Work of the 
Louisiana Colored Troops. — General Sherman Wounded TZ 

CHAPTER XL 

Soldier-Life Among the Grand Old Magnolia Forests. — Sjilendid Work of 
the Sharpshooters. — Picking Off the Rebels. — The Story of a Sundiy 
Fight. — Striving to Capture Port Hudson 77 

CHAPTER XII. 
A Dangerous Journey. — Work in the Sap. — \'ivid Description of Active 
Work Close to the Enemy. — Pint Hudson Surrendered. — Grant's Suc- 
cess at Vicksburg 84 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Opening of the Famous Red River Expedition. — Capture of Fort de Rus- 
sey. — 'i"he River Open to Alexandria. — The True Inwardness of the 
Red River Campaign 93 

C 1 1 A P T E R X 1 V . 
Cavalry Contending with the Retiring P"oe. — A General Conflict. — Pressed 
Back by Overwhelming Numbers. — Emory Looked for as Anxiously as 
Blucherat Waterloo 102 

CHAPTER XV. 
A Council of War. — Withdrawal to Pleasant Hill. — Sharp Fight Between 
Cavalry Forces. — A Fearfully Desperate Charge. — The First Line of 
Battle of the Rebels Anilihilated 110 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XVI. PAGE 
The Navy in a Bad Way. — lionclads i'j. Infantry. — Tlie Eastport Blown 
Up with a Ton of Powder after Six Day.s' Delay. — Bravery of Porter. — 
Safe Arrival at Alexandria 118 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Grand Ecore Evacuated. — Forced March of Forty Miles. — Battle of Cane 
River. — Flanking General Emory's Position. — The Arrival of the Union 
Army at Alexandria 120 

C H A P T E R X V II I . 
Colonel Bailey's Success in Damming Red River. — The Gunbcjats Saved 
by the Nineteenth Army Corps. — Loss of the Covington. — A Break in 
the Dam 133 

CHAPTER XIX. 
The Fleet Brought Safely Below the Rocks. — The Town of Alexandria on 
Fire. — The Army on the Move. — A Bridge of Twenty-six Boats Across 
the River 141 

C H AFTER XX. 
A Review of the Campaign. — Cause and Effects. — Insubordination of 
Officers. — Jealousy and Conflicting .Xutliority. — General Banks Cretlited 
with Great Bravery and Honesty. — The Army and Gunboats Separate. 
— Farewell to Mississippi. —The Nineteenth Corps at Washington . . . 149 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

C H A P T E R XXI. 
Under Sheridan. — Preliminary Manteuvres. ~ The Shenandoali \'alley 
Campaign llJl 

C H A P T E R X X 1 1 . 
Three Federal Corps in the Shenandoah. — Playing Checkers Up and Down 
the Valley with Early. — Destroying Property. — Brilliant Engagement of 
Cavalry and Infantry IfiS 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXIII. PAGE 
Lively Work in the Famous Shenandoah Valley. — Battle of Opequan 
Creek. — Delay in Getting into Action. — Bravery of Yankee Soldiers.— 
Opening of a Bloody Struggle HG 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Death of General Russell. — Sheridan's Escape. — A Grand Charge by the 
Sixth Corps.— Bravery of the Cavalry.— Magnificent Spectacle Presented 
by the Moving Wall of Men 184 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Grand Cavalry Charge. — Through Winchester. — Good liecord of Massa- 
chusetts Soldiers. — Bravery of Color-Sergeant Lunt. — Advance of the 
'i'roops to Fisher's Hill the Next Morning l'J2 

CHAP T E R X XVI. 
Story of the Midniglit Charge on Fisher's Hill. — Retreat Down tlie 
Valley. — Wholesale Destruction of Property. — (ieneral Ross' Caxahy 
Chased for Twenty-five Miles I'J!) 

C H A P T E R X X V 1 1 . 
Battle of Cedar Creek. — General Wright in Connnand. — Midnight March 
from Fisher's Hill. — Surprised by the Rebels. — .\ Wonderful Flaidc 
Movement Successfully Accomplished 208 

CHAPTER X X V I 1 I . 
liattle of Cedar Creek. — The Morning Conflict. — Cavalry Ordered to Felt 
Flank. — Vermont Troops Check the Rebels. — The Army Marching to 
a New Line in Good Order 216 

CHAPTER XX I\. 
Battle of Cedar Creek. — Sheridan's Ride. — Battle of the Afternoon. — A 
Brilliant Word-Picture. — Defeat of Early. — Victory for the Union 
Troops 224 

C H AFTER XXX. 
Gathering in the Spoils. — Thanks of Congress. — The Second Division 
Ordered to go to Savannah, Ga. — Great Destruction of I'roperty in the 
Shenandoah , 2'-i2 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



CHAPTER I 



An Umvrittcn Part of f/ic ///story of the War. — 
Sec ties ami />iei dents of Sold/'er-Life in the /de- 
partment of the Gulf. — Froiii the /iav State to 
lialtnnore : a \/vid Story. 



IN August, 1862, I found myself a high private in 
Company E, Thirty-eighth Regiment, Massachu- 
setts Volunteers, in camp at Lynnfield. As soon as the 
regiment was fully equipped, in the same month, it was 
ordered to Baltimore, Mtl., where it went into camp and 
entered upon that severe drill which stood it in such good 
need in those severe engagements in which it participated 
during its three years' term of service. 

An amusing episode occurred soon after the regiment 
arrived in Baltimore. An order was received by the 
Colonel to drill the regiment in reversed arms, as their 
services would probably be needed as a funeral escort for 
a General who was supposed to be dying. The regi- 
ment drilled two days, when some fool told the dying 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



General what the re<^iment was doing, when he got mad 
and refnsed to die. Although the hoys lost the t'un of 
escorting him to the grave, yet they were credited with 
saving the General's life — and it was the only General's 
lite they ilid save during the war. In October, the regi- 
ment was attached to the Third Brigade, Third Division, 
Gen. W. H. Emory commanding, Col. Timothy Ingra- 
ham, Acting Brigade Commander. 

Lieut. -Col. David K. Wardwell of Stoneham, Mass., 
took charge of the regiment, and looked after battalion 
drills and dress parades. 

During tlie first week in November. 1S62, an order 
came for all the troops in and around Baltimore to go on 
board transports and proceed to Fortress Monroe, Va. 
But it was not imtil the 9th that the troops got ready to 
embark. This order created considerable speculation 
among the soldiers, and their relatives and friends, as to 
their destination. All that could be learned about it was 
that it was a secret expedition. Numerous places were 
assigned by the boys as to its probable destination, and 
Port Royal, vSavannah, Texas and Mobile were named. 

On Monda}-, the loth of Noxemher, the troops em- 
barked and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, the Thirtv- 
eigiith being assigned to Gen. Emory's flagship, the 
Baltic^ on which they were quarteretl until the expe- 
dition reached Ship Island in the Gulf. 

The Baltic reached Fortress Monroe on the 12th of 
November. For nearly a month the troops remaineil on 
ship])oard in Hampton Roads, occasionally going oq 
shore to drill and bathe. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



While hing here a laui^hable incident occurred which 
will never be eHaced from the minds of those who took 
part in it. One day the regiment was ordered to take 
their clothes and a piece of soap and go on shore and 
wash them. Esp>ing a creek near the town of Hampton, 
the boys made for it, and taking it for granted that the 
water was fresh, they commenced their washing. Some 
would rub the soap on the clothes, and then attempt to 
wash them. Neither the dirt, gray-backs nor soap would 
budge, when presently a soldier thought to taste the 
water. He lauglied, gathered up his clothes and began 
moving to the rear. The rest soon caught on, and with 
looks of supreme contempt on their countenances they 
turned their backs to the creek, and some, shall we say 
it, " swore rite out in meetin'," just as though they were 
accustomed to it, and knew every expressive adjective in 
Webster's Unaliridged. But the boys had learned a 
lesson that army soap and salt water had no atfinity for 
each other. 

An incident going to show the love which the contrac- 
tors had for the Government and soldiers was witnessed 
here. The fleet was nearl\- ready to sail, when Gen. 
Emory ordered an inspection of the commissary stores. 
As a result of the inspection on boaixl of the Baltic 
alone, ten barrels of beef and pork were found inifit for 
use and thrown into the sea, and numerous cases of hard 
tack were found wormy and moldy, and were also con- 
signed to the sea. Some thought it was a pity to throw 
these stores into the sea, as Gen. Banks might have 
saved them to feed the rebels with and saved an equal 



CAMPAIGNING WITH J5ANKS. 



amount of ^ooi[ provisions which he supplied them with 
at Brashear City, La. 

On Thursday niornins^, December 8, 1S63, there was 
every indication that J^anks' secret expedition was about 
to sail for its destination. The fleet Avas divitled into 
two divisions — one of six steamers, including the flag- 
ship Baltic and the convoy gunboat Ang'iista^ the other 
of seven steamers, the Atlantic being the flagship, and 
accompanied by a steam gunboat. The fleet was com- 
posed in all of about fifty steamers, a part of which 
rendezvoused at New York. The mmiber of troops was 
10,000. On the Baltic were Gen. Emory and stafl'. 
Gen. Banks and staff' were on the JVorth Star with the 
Forty-first Massachusetts, and the Thirty-eighth Regi- 
ment. The vessels of the first division got imder way 
about 10 o'clock, one following after another imtil all 
had left of both divisions, except the steamer Baltic. At 
4 o'clock p. ivr., the Baltic weighed anclior, and tlius 
Banks' expedition was inuler wav. 

Great things were expe(^ted of tiiis expedition at the 
North, and tlie greatest secrecy as to its destination was 
observed. A ])adlock was put on every officer's lips, 
and it was considered a criminal ofl'ence subject to court- 
martial, even to guess as to its destination. An officer 
came very near being shot b\ using his prer<)gati\e as 
a Yankee, and asking Gen. Banks what destination 
they were going to, and whether he should take light or 
heavv clotliing. The old fox Avas not to be trapped in 
that way, however, and replied : '' Take both, sir." It 
was indeed a secret expedition to all engaged in it below 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



the rank of General, and as well to the people of the 
North. But the joke of it was the reliels knew all about 
it from its inception, and were all the time laughing in 
their sleeves at the precautions taken to keep the knowl- 
edge from them. The\ rather liked the change of 
Baid<s for Butler, so thev made no attem])t to sink the 
fleet, feeling sure that Baidvs ali\e and within their terri- 
tory w(Hdd he of more \alue to the Confederacy than 
making him food for powder or fishes. 

How laughable it seems now with what jealousy the 
officers kept the secret of the destination of the fleet from 
the men, even after the fleet had put to sea. Possibly 
they were afraid that some indiscreet soldier might put 
the secret in liis letter, which he intended to send home 
after arriving at their destination, and thus the rebels be 
let into the secret through the Northern press. 

The between decks were fitted up with bunks for the 
soldiers, and here were stowed one thousand men and 
millions of gray-backs. It was a struggle between the 
men and gray-backs which should occupy the Inndvs. It 
was a drawn battle. 

The weather had been fine up to the time we sighted 
the North Carolina coast, when it began to blow along 
in the afternoon, and kept on inci'easing after the sun 
went down. We were ofl' Ilatteras Inlet and in for a 
regular norther. Everything was made secure in prepa- 
ration for the gale. It rained in torrents and the sea was 
running so high that the steamer had to heave to. At 
midnight the gale was at its height, and the steamer 
rolling and pitching at a fearful rate. Now she would 



CAMPAIGNIN<; WITH BANKS. 



rise on one of tlie mountainotis waves, poise on its breast, 
and then plunge down, down, into the dark abyss of the 
trougli of tlie sea. Every time slie phmged down it 
seemed as though she woidd go to the bottom. But the 
oncoming wave woidd catch lier luider her bows, and 
she would come up as gracefully as a duck. The scene 
on board the steamer that night beggars description. 
Nearly ever}' man on board w^as sea-sick, and vomiting, 
and many were frightened half out of their wits. To 
add to the discomfort, the fore-scuttle had been left oft" to 
provide fresh air for tlie men. All at once the steamer 
struck a tremendous sea, bows on, which came over the 
bows in hogsheadfuls and poured down the fore-scuttle, 
drenching the men in the Inuiks, who rushed on deck to 
see if the steamer was going down. The next morning 
the gale abated, and as the fleet had got dispersed during 
the gale, the Baltic ran north for several hours to see if 
there was any trace of them. Not seeing any of the 
fleet, except the gunboal Augusta^ the steamer's head 
was pointed south again. 

We had been told that the life of a soldier was a lazv 
one, and the life which we led on the Baltic seemed to 
C(Miflrm the statement, as the onlv hard (lut\' wiiich we 
had to perform was to tr\- and eat our grub of salt-boss 
and hard-tac]<. and drink our cofl'ee. It was a hard duty, 
h()\ve\er. The coflee itself, was good enough, but '■'■ Big 
Charlie," the cook, had such a way of compounding it, 
that it was liard to tell where the coll'ee began, and the 
salt-hoss and pork left otf. 

The passage south was a Hue one, and as port after 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



port in the Southern States was passed — Charleston, 
Pensacohi and Moliile — tlie boys made up their minds 
that New Orleans, or Galveston, Texas, was the point of 
destination. But on the morning of December 13th, a 
long, low, sandy and God-forsaken island, called Ship 
Island, and off the Mississippi coast, was made out, with 
several vessels of the fleet hovering around it. This 
proved to be our stop[)ing place, as the expedition was 
to go up to New Orleans, and tlie Baltic draw ing too 
much water to cross tlie l>ar at the mouth of the river, 
we had to land on the island. There was a i:)ier made 
out into the gulf, with storehouses upon it, and a few 
shanties were scattered al)out. 

There was a lighthouse on the northern side, and Gen. 
Butler was Iniilding what lie called a brick fort. But 
had one of Commodore Porter's l)omlis landed inside, it 
would have knocked sheol out of it. It was on this 
island that the members got the Hrst glimpse of a real 
li\e butternut Johnnv. The\' were Gen. Butler's pris- 
oners, and the men gave them a thorough looking over. 

The weather was balmv, and soon hundreds were 
enjoying the luxury of a bath in the limpid waters of the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

The regiment stayed on the island two weeks, passing 
Christmas here. On thai dav the regiment was tiu'ned 
over to the men with full liberty to do as they pleased, 
so long as they kept within the bounds of propriety. 
Officers were chosen, and dressed in the uniforms of the 
regular officers. Guard momiting took place, aiul all 
the commissioned and non-commissioned officers were 



8 CAMPAIGNINO WITH BANKS. 

obliged to do o^uard duty. Several ran guard, and were 
sentenced to the guardhouse. Col. Ingrahani was ar- 
rested for attempting to leave the camp without a pass, 
and taken to the guardhouse. He gave a satisfac-tory 
excuse and was released. The festivities closed with a 
dress parade, when the regiment was turned over to the 
regular officers. On the night of December 24th, the 
regiment went on board of transports, and starte<l for 
New Orleans. The weather was fine, and the sail up 
the river was magnificent. This was the first time tlie 
men had a chance to see the South in all its glory, and 
tliey were intensely interested spectators of the scenes 
tliat passed in review. The large plantations of corn 
and sugar-cane, with the slaves that were moving about, 
or listlessly leaned over their hoe handles, and grinned 
at the troops, the ohmge trees laden witli fruit, all had a 
charm for the boys. 

As we approached the scene of Commodore Farragut's 
brilliant naval exploits at Forts l^liillip and Jackson, 
every one was on the tip-toe of expe(!:tancy, antl when 
we swung around the bend, every eye was strained to 
get a glimpse of the forts. The steamer kept steadily on 
her way, and soon .we were cleaving the waters where 
Farragut's ships led the way to victory. It didn't seem 
possil)le in so narrow a pass and at so short a range, that 
an ironclad could have passed the forts, to say nothing 
about wooden hulls. As the shades of evening fell on 
December 31st, the glint of the liglit of the city of New 
Orleans shone above the trees. Just before midniglit, 
with the expiring hour of the year 1S62, the lights of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

the city burst upon our view in tlie form of a crescent. 
The steamer proceeded to the northern part of the cit\', 
and dropped anclior. The secret of the expeehtion was 
now solved, and was no more nor less than that the great 
military chieftain and statesman, Nathaniel P. Banks, had 
been sent to relieve Cien. Benjamin F. Butler, and to in- 
augurate important civil and militarv measures. Tiiis 
was the secret of the Banks expedition. 



CHAPTER II. 

Gen. Butler's Napoleotiic Farexvell Address. — T/ie 
Bobbin Boy Takes Command. — New Years Day 
in New Orleans. — Army Life in the Szvamps and 
Bow-lands of Louisiana. 



/"TENERAL Banks landed at New Orleans Decem- 
\fX ber istli, 1S62, and Gen. Butler turned over the 
department to him. On the same day Gen. Butler issued 
the following pithy ad(h-ess to his troops : 

I greet vou, my brave comrades, and saj farewell. This word, 
endeared as you are by a community of privations, hardships, 
dangers, victories, successes, military and civil, is the only sor- 
rowful thought I have. You have deserved well of yoLu- country. 
Without a murmur you sustained an encampment on a sand-bar 
so desolate that banishment to it, with every care and comfort 
possible, has been the most dreaded punishment inflicted upon 
3'our bitterest and most insulting enemies. 

You had so little transportation, that but a handful could ad- 
vance to compel submission by the Q^ieen City of the rebellion. 

Landing with a military chest containing but $75, from the 
hands of a rebel government you have given to your country's 
treasury nearly $500,000, and so supplied yourselves with the 
needs of your service, and your expedition has cost your govern- 
ment less by four-fifths than any other. 

By your practical philanthropy you have won the confidence 
of the "oppressed race" and the slave. Hailing you as deliverer. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH RANKS. 11 



they are ready to aid you as willing servants, faithful laborers, 
or, using the tactics taught b^- your enemies, to fight with you 
in the field. 

You have met tiie double numbers of the enemy and defeated 
them in the open field. But I need not farther enlarge upon the 
topic. You were sent here to do that. 

I commend you to your commander. You are worthy of liis 
love. 

Farewell, my comrades! Again, farewell! 

Tliat was Napoleonic, surely ; Init then Napoleon 
never gushed over so small a try. What achievements had 
Gen. Butler accomplished to call out such fustian as the 
above.? He makes no mention, while landing" his troops, 
of any battles fought upon ensanguined fields, either 
open or closed. That must have been a terrible engage- 
ment at Ship Island, where his troops fought to the 
death ITncle Sam's commissary department without a 
niurnun, while Farragut, with his brave sailois, was 
opening up a way for his troops past the forts of vSt. 
Philip antl fackson. The aflair of his troops at Raton 
Rouge was a creditable one, as also those expeditions up 
the Teche country. But it is a notable iac:t than when 
he issued that bombastic address he held al)solute pos- 
session only of New Orleans and the immediate surround- 
ing country. If that address had been made to the navy 
there would have been n'lore sense in it. They it was 
who opened the river and gave Gen. l^utler New 
Orleans, Algiers, Baton Rouge, etc., and it was oidy l)y 
the presence of the navy, that Gen. Butler held New 
Orleans. 



\'2 CAMI'AlCNtNG WITH MANKS. 



On tlie follovviii<j^ <la\' (Jen. IJanks issued his proclama- 
tion assiimint;" coinmand ol" llu- (ifpattnu-nt. Il was a 
iiaiiil)\-|)anil)y (locuinunt in comparison \\ illi tlu' one 
issued 1)V (ien. IJuller. I>anl<s patted the rebels upon 
the iiaek and told them what ^ood lellows they were; 
that he (hd n'l want to hurt them, and that the (Jo\ern- 
ment didn't want to tree the sia\cs, if JK-njamin I'.utier 
did say so; that if they would onl\- e()me hael< into llie 
I'aniily ol" States a^ain and promise to l)e j^ood hoys, and 
keep still while his troojjs stole their eotton, why tlu'n 
thi' past would \n- lor^iven, the tatted ealt', it" an\' were 
h'it, would he killed, and e\(.'r\thinL; would hi- lo\ely. 
I)ut the i-ehels knew what ehall" was, whether eomin^' 
iVom a statesman or (Jeneral. 'i'he\' did n't hiti- worth 
a cent; tlu'\ seemed to know better than (ien. Uanks 
the kind of tieatment the\ deser\e<l. The proclamation 
had the contrary ellcx^t desired, and considerable disorder 
took place, when (ien. i>anks was forced to ]>romul<^ate 
Gen. Butler's sti"in<)jent orders in order to biini;- the 
rebels under suhjecHiou. 

On the mornini^ of January ist, 1863, the men ot" the 
transpoits of New Orleans were astir earl\- to ijet a 
•glimpse of the C^ueen City of the South. The city lay 
before us in peacefulness and (piiet, and no one would 
for a moment suppose that two hostile ]")arties occupied 
it, that it was held by one party only b}- the sword ; 
but such was the fac^t. At noon the steamer weighed 
anchor and headed up the stream, and after a pleasant 
sail ol li\e miles, came to anchoi" oil" Carrollton, a sub- 
urban tow n of New Orleans. Here the troops debarked 



campai(;nin(; wn ii hanks, 1;5 



and went into cani|) on a planlalion vvliicli had loinn'ily 
hern occupied as a ichcl campini^-j^ioimd. Tlic icl)cls 
must havi- Icl't it in a lunr\ when l''anat;nt came np tiic 
river with his L;nnhoats, foi- Ihev for<j^ot to take their 
<^rav-hacl<s with them, lint lel't them as a lei;ac\- t'oi^ tiic 
^'ankees. IT (jen. J^ntler had been slow in liis <)])era- 
tions, the ^•ray-l)acks had not, lor the ground was covered 
with tiiem, some of them hein^^ as hu;<;x' as a oood-si/ed 
kernel of wheat, and the lio^s swore that the)- had the 
C. S. A. stamp upon their hacks. But there was no 
need of the rehels heinj^' so generous, as e\ cry ollicer and 
man had di:iwn his full (|uol;i of I 'ncle Sam's i;ray-hacks 
while on hoard of the transpoit, ;iud the fre(|nenl pickin<^ 
matches had made no peiceplihle dimimition in their 
ninnber v\ hen the ti()o])s landed. 

New Year's day foinid the Thiity-eit^dith, with the 
other trof)ps, settled down among the swamps and low- 
lands of Louisiana — -those two inseparable adjuncts of 
their army life in that State, and with which, through 
the elHciency of tlu' medical department, they were to 
become so familiar. It was here that the tr()o)')s entered 
upon that constant diiUing, by regiment, briga<le and 
division, wliith later elicited the praise of (Jen. Banks, 
given to the Thirty-eighth and One Hundred and .Six- 
teenth New \'ork J^egiments, but which lilled the 
hospitals with sick men, and materially leduced the 
erteftiveness of the arm v. 

The tents had hardh' bc'cn pitched when the boys ol 
the Thirty-eighth es])ied an orange grove, the trees ot 
which were full of fruit. A rush was made for the 



14 CAINIPAIGNING WITH HAxNKS. 

grove, and so eager were the boys to get the fruit that 
they did not stop to taste of it until they had their haver- 
sacks full. The fruit was fair to look upon, but \\ hen 
the boys attempted to eat some of it — ye gods! lemons 
were sweet as sugar in comparison to them. The boys 
thought it was but right that the officers should have 
some of the fruit, so they gave some of the finest to 
them. The faces that thev made up, when they under- 
took to eat them, would ha\'e made fine embellishments 
for a comic almanac. 

The troops had lieen landed at CarrolUon but a few 
weeks when a cold spell set in, and froze water that was 
in the bog-holes, and the men gathered around the 
cooks' camp-fires with over and under-coats on, and 
earlier in the day with blankets over these, to keep 
warm. 'J'he natives swore that the troops brought the 
Northern weather with them, as they never saw it so 
cold before. 

In January, 1863, (Jen. Wetzel ])lamie(l an expedition 
to Berwick l)a\- from Thibfxleaux, tor the purpose of 
cleaning out the rebels in that section, and to capture the 
rebel gunboat, J. A. Cotton^ whicli was known to ])e 
lurking somewhere in the ]?avou Teclie. This gunl)oat 
had become the terror of the Union men in that ])art of 
the country, ami Gen. Wetzel wanted to make her 
acquaintance. The expedition consisted of six regiments 
of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, a companv of sharp- 
shooters, two full batteries and two seftions of batteries, 
some six thousand troops in all. Added to this there 
were four gunboats under the command of Commodore 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 15 



Buchanan. To oppose this force, according' to a rel)el 
account, there were ele\en liunched men, two hatteries 
and the ii^unboat Cotton^ and one or two other gunboats. 

It was a hotly contested tight on both sides, and Com- 
modore Buclianan was among the killed. The gunboat 
Cotton was set on Hre by the rebels on the morning after 
the fight, and drifted into our hands. 

'^ The object of the expetlition having been accom- 
plished," the troops were marched back to their old 
camping in the swamps around Thibodeaux, bringing 
with them a large number of horses, cattle and nuiles, 
which they fonntl in that country. But so far as any 
real progress in occup\'ing the enemy's country was con- 
cerned, and which they could easily have done as far as 
New Ilieria, they were I'ust where the expedition started 
from. But this was not the only expedition that did not 
come up to the high-sounding manifesto. What makes 
it look cheap is the fac^t that our side had six men to the , 

rebels' one, and it was a drawn battle. Ji 

'^"Feljruary loth, orders were received to march on board 
the steamer, and we land at Blacjuemine, to open the 
Bayou ; but it turned out to be a molasses candy expedi- 
tion, as while encamped at Placpiemine, the troops 
borrowed all the molasses tl.e}' could find in the place ; 
and although it rained just as it did in the days of Noah, 
only a little harder, yet over every camp-tire was a kettle 
of molasses, and along in the morning the lioys wei-e 
busily engaf^ed doing three things at once — swearing, 
pulling candy, and trying to pull their brogans out of the 
Southern soil, which was knee-deep in spots. The 



16 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

obje6l of this expedition bcini^ accomplished — the Lord 
only knows what that was — the troops returned to Car- 
rollton, and another perilous undertaking was over, and 
another address of ••' My brave comrades" was in order. 
Again the same old manouivreing of drilling and keeping 
out of the mud and tVom other disad\antages was re- 
sumed. 

On Fel)ruary 26th, so reduced had become the regi- 
ments from sickness and hard drilling, that a "rest" 
was granted the men for the day. But the Brigade 
Commander, fearing that the troops would forget how to 
handle a gun if they were given so long a rest, in the 
afternoon gave an order for them to drill as skirmishers. 
The men of the Thirty-eighth drilled especialh in the 
mo^ ement of " lying down," and they became prolicient 
in the movement before the troops were recalled. This 
order cemented the love which the men of the Third 
Brigade had for their beloved Commander, and his ears 
must have tingled while the boys were passing around 
their compliments in regard to him. 

The Hrst week in Marcli, tlie troops were ordered to 
Baton Rouge. On the da\ that the camp was to be 
struck, and when half of the tents were down, one of 
those gentle showers for wiiich the sunny South is nested 
set in. It was none of }()iu" ordinary showers, but the 
rain came down solidly ; the cam2:)-ground was flooded, 
and mud — well talk about Virginia mud, it was nothing 
to this. The men had to strap their shoes on to keep 
them, and walked with arms outstretched, for fear of 
sinking in the mud out of sight. The camp was struck, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 17 

but two feet away it was hard to tell where the dividing 
line was between him and the groinid, the soldiers were 
so covered with niutl. For once the blue had donned 
the gray. 

On the 'jth of March, the troops arrived at Baton 
Rouge, and found everything betokening a forward 
movement. The town was full of troops of every arm 
of the service. The river in front of the town w^as full 
of gunboats, mortar boats and transports. The famous 
ironclad £ssex was with tiie fleet, and received the 
greatest share of attention. The signal corps, from their 
towers, were signalling despatches and orders. 
' Light marching order, was what the order said, but it 
made the old soldiers laugh when they were told to pack 
their dress coats and all other articles, except blankets 
and overcoats, and a change of clothing. The contra- 
bands wore a broad grin on their faces as they went out 
and in among " Massa Lincoln's " troops, and the 
Essex was their wonder and delight. 

On the 1 3th of Marcli, the division was reviewed by 
Generals Banks and Emory, accompanied with brilliant 
staffs. Admiral Farragut was also present. This was 
the first time that the division had been drawn up in line 
all together, and it was a magtiificent sight. It was a 
beautiful day, and tlic evolutions were upon the whole 
creditable. It was upon this occasion that Gen. Bank s 
complimented the Thirty-eighth and One Hundred and 
Sixteenth New York Regiments, which compliment 
soured Col. Gooding of the Thirty-first Massachusetts 
Regiment, who was in command of the Brigade. 

2 



18 CAMPAIGNING WITH J?ANKS. 

Gen. Banks said, after rebuking certain officers of 
otlier regiments, tlie Tliirty-first being among the num- 
ber, and which had been a year longer than the Thirty- 
eighth in the department: "The General commanding 
cannot forbear pointing to the marked contrast indicated 
in the same reports concerning the condition of the 
Thirty-eighth Massachusetts Regiment and the One 
Hundred and Sixteenth New York Regiment, enlisted 
at about the same time, but carried by the zeal of their 
officers beyond the reach of this pernicious influence." 
At another time Gen. Banks made the remark, in the 
hearing of the Brigade Commander, that the Thirty- 
eighth and One Hundred and Sixteenth New York 
Regiments were the only regiments, so far as he could 
see, that were drilling with any expe(5lation of meeting 
the enemy. Col. Gooding was said to have made the 
remark: "If that is so I'll give those regiments all the 
fighting that they will want," and the boys, in view of 
what transpired afterward, believe to tliis day that Col. 
Gooding kept that promise, if he never kept any other. 

At six o'clock on the evening of March 13th, orders 
came to fall in. The sick, and some who thought them- 
selves sick, were sent to the hospital, and the regiments 
composing the three divisions were put in fighting trim. 
As this was another seci'et expedition, and one which 
was supposed to mean fight, there was considerable con- 
jecSlure as to its destination among the boys. There was 
some talk of sending a committee to the rebels to try 
and get them to disclose where, and what the movement 
poi'tended, but the suggestion came too late. 



CAMPAIGNING WTIH 15ANKS. 1!) 

Gen. Grovei" had command of the Fiist Division, and 
his troops broke camp at 4 p.m., and took the I'oad lead- 
ing up the river. Gen. Emory had command of the 
Second Division, which iiad orders to leave at 7 p-m. 
The Third Division was imder command of Gen. Augur, 
and was not to leave until 3 o'clock on the following 
morning. The men were in fine spirits, and as they 
moved out of the town they indulged in hearty cheers 
and songs. As the Thirty-eighth passed Gen. Dudley's 
headquarters, the General was standing on the stoop. 
Noticing what regiment it was that was passing, he said, 
"Men of the Thirty-eighth, keep cool, obey orders and 
fire low." The bo3's gave him three cheers in answer. 
After the troops had been on the march for two hours, 
orders came to secure every canteen, tin cup and pan, so 
as not to make any noise. The men were to talk in a 
low voice for fear that the rebels, twenty-five miles 
away, might hear and know that we were coming. 

The line of marcli led through dense woods on each 
side of the road, shutting out the light of tlie stars and 
making the road pitchy dark. The marcli was kept up 
until midnight, with frequent lialts, when the welcome 
bugles sounded a halt, and the army went into camp for 
the night. But the men were too iiungry to sleep, and 
soon the camp-fires were burning brightly, and the mid- 
night air was laden with the perfumes of old govern- 
ment Java. The members of the Third Division had a 
streak of aestheticism in their natures, and thought that 
the Virginia fence which abounds in Louisiana, besides 
being out of line, was also out of place, and never missed 



20 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

a chance to take it in. This caused a little feeling on 
the part of our Southern friends, and as the Third 
Division, on the night in question, had horrowed a fence 
to cook with, the owner went to headquarters and en- 
tered a complaint. The result was that an order came 
to take only the top rail, and the Nineteenth Corps 
adopted the order, and took only the top rail as each 
one found them, and the result was we got there just the 
same. 



CHAPTER III. 



Fa7-rag2it''s Fleet Before Port Hiidsoit. — A Dreary^ 
Tiresome ^larch^ and a Still JSIore Dreary Night. 
— A Skirjnish zvith the Rebels and a Night in a 
I^ouisiana Sivanip. 



TV T daylight of the 14th, the march was taken up. 
^^-^L The air was hot, and the troops were in heavy 
marching order, with overcoats, rubber and woolen 
bhinkets, dress coats, extra shirts, tow^els, brush and 
blacking, three days' rations, one hundred rounds of 
ammunition, guns and equipments, a canteen of water — 
just enough goods for proper housekeeping, and too 
many for an adlive campaign, especially when you had 
to tote them on your liack. 

A great many officers had purchased bullet-proof 
linings for their vests ; but carrying an iron foundry, 
with the thermometer at So° in the shade, was too much 
for them, and they were left on the side of the road with 
the rest of the useless trash. 

After marching eleven miles the ai'my deployed in 
line of battle. Heavy skirmish lines were formed, and 
the artillery unlimbered and got in position. 



22 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

The headquarters of the Army Commander were in 
the proper place, at the house on the phintation in the 
rear. And there we waited. What were we here for.'' 
What next? At about midnight, the boom of a cannon 
and the ciash of a ball through the tree tops brought 
every man to his feet. Rockets streamed through the 
air in the direction of the river and Port Hudson. 

Word was passed down the line that Farragut's fleet 
was to make the attack on the river, and the army was 
to stand in line of battle, within a few miles of the fort, 
as an army of observation, to take no part in the achieve- 
ment, while the grand old Admiral and his hardy sailors 
were to do the work, as thev had done at Forts Jackson 
and Phillips. If the arm}- had advanced, we should 
have taken Port Hudson without any doubt ; but at that 
time others thought ditierently, and it would not have 
been policy to have done too much at one time, although 
we stood ready and willing to advance if we had the 
chance. We waited to receive the order from Gen. 
Dudlev to fire low, but received no such good news. 
We were only to see the flashes, hear the reports, and 
watch the flight of the mortar shells as they took their 
flight upward, at an angle of forty-five degrees, with the 
rapidity of lightning. Small globes of golden flames 
were seen sailing through the pure ether ; not a steady, 
unfading flame, but coruscating like the fitful gleam of a 
fire-fly, now variable, and anon, invisible like a flying 
star of the sixth magnitude. The terrible missile, a 
thirteen-inch shell, ncars the zenith. Up, and still up, 
higher and higher. Its flight now becomes much slower, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 23 

till, on reaching its utmost altitude, its centrifugal force 
becoming counteracted by the earth's attraction, it de- 
scribes, it may be, ere it reaches terra firma, a grand 
parabola, but probably alighting in the rebel works ere 
it explodes, when it scatters death and destruction 
around. 

The fleet passed the head of Prophet Island, and up 
to the mortar boats. VVe knew we were near the point 
of danger. The rebels were expecting us, and prepared 
to give us a warm reception. A large fire was seen on 
the Port Hudson side of the river in front of the fortifi- 
cations. Suddenly a rocket ascended into the air from 
the west bank and exploded. The alarm was given, 
and a shot from the rebel works was answered by a 
broadside from the Hartford. Battery after battery 
answered from the hillside. 

The Hartford pushed ahead, towing the Albatross^ 
the Ric/imoJid towed the Gcncssec, the Alonong'ahela 
the Kinco., the Mississippi and tlie Sachem following. 
The darkness was intense, and the location of the 
enemy's batteries could be told only by the flash, and 
the location of the fleet, vice versa. There could be no 
lights on the decks, but the method of white-wasliing 
the deck gun-carriages, caused the grape shot and can- 
nister to produce the same efle6t as a black hat upon 
snow. 

The whole arena of action upon the land and upon 
the water was soon enveloped in a sulphurous canopy of 
smoke. The vessels could no longer discern each other, 
and it became difficult to know how to steer ; as in the 



24 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

gloom the only obje<5l at which they could aim was the 
flash of the guns, the danger became imminent. They 
might fire into each other. This gave the rebels great 
advantage, for with their stationary guns, though they 
fired into the darkness, they could hardly fire amiss. 
The Richfnond pushed alongside the Hartford in the 
darkness, and came very near pouring a broadside into 
her. The mistake was discovered, but it was a narrow 
escape. 

The Allsslsslppi ran agroimd on the west bank, and 
the rebel battery, pouring an awful fire upon her, riddled 
her through and through. It was impossible to move 
her, and she was set on fire to keep her from falling into 
the hands of the enemy. vSoon after she loosened herself 
and floated down the river, and the fieet, being unable 
to pass, slowly drifted down the stream, while the 
Hartford and the Albatross had puslicd up and beyond 
the forts. And so ended the Hrst Port Hudson cam- 
paign. 

The army had stood in line of battle, in the rear of the 
rebel works, listening to the sound of cannon and watch- 
ing the burning of the A/i'ssiss/ppi as she drifted down 
the river, till the fire reached her magazine, which ex- 
ploded, after which all was darkness. In the morning, 
at about lo o'clock, the order came to take up our line 
of inarch for Baton Rouge, and that famous announce- 
ment was made that the objecft of the expedition had 
been accomplished. 

In retreating we camped at the Bayou, and the march 
was resumed. In the middle of the afternoon it began 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 25 

to rain. The roads became mud, and the shutters rivers, 
and our shoes were filled with water. At about tj 
o'clock we reached a swamp — a dreary Louisiana 
swamp. We were wet to the skin, and threw off our 
knapsacks and equipments into the mud. 

When morning came we were a half-drowned, hag- 
gard, bedraggled and hungry set ; with an extra supply 
of wood-ticks, the army was as natural as usual. The 
march was resumed, and we arrived at Baton Rouge 
on the 2ist of March. The army went into camp, 
and drill was resumed. Strong events were about to 
transpire. 

Gen. W. T. Sherman had been left in command at 
New Orleans, and in order to guard against the move- 
ment of the enemy on the place it became necessary to 
put fortifications on the New Orleans and Jackson Rail- 
roads. Col. Clark of the Sixth Michigan was placed in 
command of a force consisting of the One Hundred and 
Sixty-fifth New York, Sixth Michigan, One Hundred 
and Seventy-seventh New York, Ninth Connecticut, and 
Fourteenth and Twenty-fourth Maine, with orders to 
capture Ponchatmera, a station on the Jackson Railroad, 
ten miles beyond tlie Manchac Pass. Col. Clark's plan 
was to take them by surprise, attacking them on the 
front flank and on tiie rear. Col. Smith with the 
Zouaves, was to attack the front, and the others were to 
proceed up the Tickafaw River, where they were to 
disembark, take the enemy on the flanks and rear, and 
when Col. Clark reached the enemy's rear he was to 
give the signal for Col. Smith to commence the attack. 



26 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

Monday evening, March 33(1, the Zouaves began tlie 
march over the trestle works of the railroad, and a 
disagreeable march it was. The rails were laid on 
rafters six or eight feet above the level of the surround- 
ing weeds and water. If a man made a misstep it might 
be his last. 

Arriving at North Manchac Pass we were compelled 
to cross over a long bridge partly destroyed by fire by 
the enemy. We could hardly pick our way across. 
That night we encamped on the track, cold and hungry, 
disturbed all night by picket firing a few miles away. 

At day-break the march was resumed, and at mid-day 
we arrived at an open traft of country. At the farther 
end of this open space was a thickly-wooded place, 
where the enemy resolved to make a stand. Soon after 
Col. Smith heard the signal. Col. Clark advanced with 
his force against the rebel position. The secessionists 
waited only long enough to excliange a few shots and 
then took refuge in the woods. None of our men were 
killed in the skirmish, and only a few were wouniled. 

The next day, the railroad bridge having been burned. 
Col. Clark, in accordance with orders, fell back on the 
railroad. That night we encamped in a swamp. 

The long nights in a Louisiana swamp, the alligators 
that were killed, the snakes that came out of the water 
to see us, the mosquitoes that worried us, all of these are 
better imagined than described. Camping in Louisiana 
is very much more disagreeable than in Virginia. 



C H A P T E R IV. 

Sailing Down the Mississippi from Baton Rouge. — 
Comifig Into Adion. — TJic Transports Under 
Terrible Fire of the Enemy. — Camp J^ife in the 
Louisiana Loiv-la)ids. — A)i Interestino- Story. 



ABOUT April I St, 1S63, the army gathered at Baton 
Rouge. A large fleet of transports on the river 
told us that the time had come when we were to start on 
our new expedition. It was no surprise to us when the 
order came for us to strike tents, and with three days' 
rations, to march on board the transports. We had not 
been in camp long enough to accumulate much furniture, 
so we carried very light knapsacks compared with those 
we had on our 2^ievious march. The time was coming 
when we were to learn the art of soldiering, and find 
how little we could get along with. Life on the trans- 
ports was pleasant, and we enjoyed our sail down the 
Mississippi. Landing at Algiers, opposite New Orleans, 
a new camp was laid out. Tents were pitched, and 
drilling went on as usual. Regiments continued to 
arrive every day, and soon the plains of Algiers were 
white with the tents of Emory's division. Here, for the 
first time since its organization, the regimental camp- 
guard was dispensed with, and the men were allowed a 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



little liberty to look around and see the country they 
were fighting for. They did not abuse the confidence 
thus reposed in them by their oflicers, as may be inferred 
from the faft that no regimental guard was placed 
around the Thirty-eighth after that time, and even when 
other regiments were confined to stri6l camp-limits, 
Lieut. -Col. Richardson allowed his command, when ofl' 
duty, to roam anywhere within sound of the bugle, and 
when stationed near a town or city, gave leave of 
absence when it did not conflict with orders from higher 
authorities. 

At this time the Forty-seventh Massachusetts was 
doing garrison duty in New Orleans, and its members 
having many acquaintances in the Thirty-eighth, visited 
them often. The contrast between the nicely-fitting 
home-made uniforms of the Forty-seventh boys and the 
shoddy affairs made by the contracT;ors to the Thirty- 
eighth, was a source of much amusement to the mem- 
bers of the latter regiment. In the field, clothing was a 
matter of little importance, but when a haversack strap 
or a knapsack buckle broke at the beginning of a long 
march, or the sole came oft' a shoe at a slight stumble, 
which very often happened, the comments on tlie patri- 
otism of those who provided for the wants of tlie army 
were more expressive than elegant. 

Although New Orleans and Algiers had been in Union 
hands for over a year, the feeling was still bitter toward 
the North. A single incident will illustrate this feeling: 
G. W. Powers, of Company F, was strolling through 
the streets the day before Easter, looking at the objet^ts 



CAMPAIGNING WITH HANKS. 29 

of interest. As he passed a small church, the sound of 
Easter hymns floated out on the air, and not having been 
inside of a church foi- many months, and the sweet music 
bringing memories of Iiome to his mind, he stepped 
inside, and stood near the door listening respec-tfully. 
The choir was engaged in a rehearsal under the dire(5tion 
of a gentleman whose white cravat and clerical air be- 
spoke the minister. Suddenly the singers caught sight 
of the blue uniform, and the music instantly ceased. 
Following the direftion of their glances the clergyman 
cast what he evidently intended to be a withering look 
on the unwelcome spet^tator. A silence ensued. Then 
the soldier asked if he was intruding. 

'"Yes," was the reply, in a very curt tone. Apologiz- 
ing for the unintentional intrusion, the visitor retreated, 
followed to the door by the chivalrous clergyman, who 
probably took precaution to prevent any more blue uni- 
forms from intruding while his choir was singing the 
anthems of peace on earth and good will to men. 

At 3 o'clock, on the morning of the 9th, the reveille 
woke the sleeping camp. Tents were struck and by 7 
o'clock the regiment was on board of the cars bound for 
the interior of Louisiana. For eighty miles we rode on 
platform and baggage cars, through the lowlands of 
Louisiana. For a long distance we ran through a dense 
Cyprus swamp, such a one as we had not seen before. 
It was like a wall of vegetation, almost, on each side, 
and through the leaves we could see dark bayous and 
black pools. Alligators several feet long lay on logs or 
in the water. Snakes, single or in coils, lay basking in 



30 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

the sun. There were turtles and lizards by the barrel, 
and the trees were draped with the peculiar Southern 
moss. The road was guarded by the New York and 
Connedlicut Regiments, and we did not envy them their 
pleasant job. A little after noon the train arrived at 
Brashear City. For fear the readers may dwell on the 
idea that Brashear City is a large one, I will say at once 
that it is not. It consists of a few houses, a dilapidated 
wharf, and lots of mud. The regiment embarked on 
the gunboat Clifton^ accompanied by Gen. Banks and 
staff'. In m}' first chapter I said that he was on the 
Baltic., but it was on the Clifton. Landing at Berwick, 
we went into camp. Suddenly every regiment was 
called into line, an order read that all men not able to 
go on a long marcli should report to the surgeon imme- 
diately, and the army should be reduced to strong, active 
service. \w tlie meantime reports were coming in that 
the enemy was strongly fortified at Bisland. The Union 
gunboat Diana., under command of Capt. Peterson, was 
ordered to take two companies of infantry to 'n\\(\ if the 
enemy had received reinforcements of infantry. Capt. 
Peterson was to go no further than a point where a 
bayou from Grand Lake unites with the Atchaf;ilaya, 
west of Pattersonville. Not content with this, he deter- 
mined to carry his observation into the very midst of the 
enemy's stronghold. The expedition proved fatal to 
him. Moving cautiously along the bayou, within half a 
mile of Pattersonville, on the upper side, four of the rebel 
cavalry suddenly came within range, and galloped along 
the level road. A shell was fired at them from the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 31 

Diana without efte(5l. They continued retreating- till 
they reached the main body of cavalr\ , w hich had been 
concealed behind a sugar-house. Upon discovering this 
fort, every gun on the Diana, was brought upon tlie 
enemy, and shot and shell were poured into tlieir ranks. 
While the attention of the gunboat was directed to this 
force, a battery of four pieces was heard in a neighboring 
corn-field, at no greater distance than twenty yards from 
the boat, where a most acti^e cannonading was at once 
commenced. 

At this time Capt. Peterson, while standing on the 
deck, on the starboard side of the pilot-house, giving 
orders to his men, received a ball in ids breast, which 
pnxstrated him to the deck. His only words were : '*! 
am a dead man ! " He never spoke again. 

Master Mate Doliver, while working one of the Dahl- 
gren cannons, was instantly killed. It was evident that 
the enemy was trying to pick olT our men from the 
larger guns. Mr. Mumford, having charge of the Par- 
rott gun in the bow, had been killed. A perfert hail- 
storm of bullets was showered upon those who were 
stationed forward. Accordinglv these pieces were aban- 
doned, and from that time all Hring ceased on board the 
Diana. The upper decks of the boats were riddled, 
and the wooden bulwarks knocked to pieces, which Hew 
in all dire6tions, proving more destructive than the balls 
of the enemy. The tliird shot of the enemy cut the 
tiller-ropes of the Diana, and left her helpless in the 
current. This damage was not repaired for some time, 
the boat floating down stern foremost toward the enemy, 



32 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



who from the short distance of sixty feet, raked her with 
numd shot tVom stem to stern. All the deck othcers m 
command were either killed or wonnded. When the 
boat chan-ed position, the enemy's cannon were moved 
so that they might be worked with the greatest eftect. 

Mr Hail, officer of the deck, was shot m the head, 
and went below, saying to the men : - Boys, fight it ont 

till the last ! " . , , . 

All the ship's officers armed themselyes with muskets 
dnring the adion, and used them constantly. The gun- 
boat Calhoun went from Brashear City to Pattersonyille 
under a flag of truce, to secure the bodies ot the killed, 
carry provisions to the wounded, and if possible secure 
the parole of the prisoners. The bodies of Capt. Patter- 
son, Master Mate Doliver, and ninety-nine ot the men 
paroled, came back in the Calhozin that night. 

In the meantime, an expedition was started trom Don- 
aldsonville, under command of Gen. Grover, on the 
west bank of the Mississippi River. The neighborhood 
(,f this town, and the country along the Bayou La 
Fourche is said to be the garden of Louisiana. 

This command arrived at Assumption, March 31st, 
bavino- marched twelve or fifteen miles. April 3d, we 
•nrived at Terre Bonne, abmit three miles south ot 
Thibodeaux. The railroad from New Orleans to Bra- 
shear City was a few rods north of us, a road which our 
forces held. About noon, we arrived at Thibodeaux. 
April loth, we arrived at Brashear City, the army hav- 
incr been drawn together in full force, and everytlung 
behig ready, the order was given, " Forward, march. 



C II A P T E R V , 

Brave Condiid of the Union Soldiers Under Fire. — 
Generals Banks and Emory Made the Target of 
Rebel Sharpshooters. — The Retreat of the Rebels. 
Banks Shelled by the Diana. 



WILLIAMSON'S and Perkins' Cavalry were in 
the advance, skirmishinj^^ with the enemy all 
day. The following is the order in which the advance 
was made : Eighth Vermont, Col. Thomas, extreme 
right ; One Hundred and Fourteenth New York, Col. 
E. B. Smith, right centre; One Hundred and Sixteenth 
New York, Lieut. -Col. Van Patten, left centre; Twelfth 
Connecticut, Lieut. -Col. Peck, left wing. Williamson's 
First Louisiana Cavalry was in the extreme advance, 
closely followed by skirmishers from the diflerent regi- 
ments. Capt. Bainbridge's First United States Artillery, 
Co. A, and the Sixth Massachusetts Battery, Capt. Car- 
ruth, accompanied them. The enemy were seen along 
the march in small squads, and singly, whicli thus com- 
pelled a careful advance and firing of the skirmishers at 
doubtful points, with occasional shelling. After advanc- 
ing about five miles, the enemy opened with a battery 
of six and twelve-pound light pieces, posted near a large 
sugar-house on the right. Bainbridge's Artillery was 

3 



34 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



quickly in position, and so eftcaivc were the shells that 
the rebels soon ceased firing, limbered up their guns, and 
hurriedly left, never stopping to make another attempt 
to stay our advance. Many of their shots, however, were 
well clirected, falling in close proximity to our forces, 
l)ut fortunately, not a man was either killed or wounded. 
Que of their shells entered the cliimney of a house,^ 
another buried itself in the trunk of a tree by the side of 
the house, while a third struck a residence two or three 
yards in the advance, exploded in the closet, scattering 
the china, pots, pans and victuals iu every direction, and 
leaving that part of the house in ruins. In addition to 
the artillerv, the enemy had four hundred cavalry and 
two luuulred infantry. The advance was now resumed, 
and beyond an occasional stray musket shot, and the 
capture of a few prisoners, nothing important occurred. 
The cavalry were supported by the One Hundred and 
Sixteenth New York and the gunboat Clifton, for by 
Gen. Weitzel's orders. Col. E. B. Smith placed a guard 
over the houses and plantations. The sugar houses and 
out-l)uildings were filled with sugar, corn and molasses. 
The advance was now very rapid, the Clifton ahead, 
occasionally shelling the woods. Many of the families 
of the planters were taken so unawares tliat when our 
forces arrived at their residences, an untouclied or halt- 
eaten dinner on the table, a valuable article left here and 
there, proved with what surprise they heard of our ad- 
vance, and in what liaste they left. ]>lack and white all 
hurriedly crossed the Atchafalaya, or accompanied the 
enemy. None were there to welcome us. It was well 



CAMPAIGNING WITH RANKS. 35 

that Gen. Weitzel placed a guard over their houses and 
property, or the owners would have returned to a home- 
less desert. At about 5 p.m., Pattersonville was reached. 
This village is about nine niilesfrom Berwick Citv. The 
Atchafalaya runs to the right, parallel with it, and in 
this neighborhood it will be remembered, that some four 
weeks before, the Diana was captured by the rebels. 
About 4 o'clock Gen. Banks and staff started from Ber- 
wick City for the front. Gen. Emory's Division followed 
the advance, the ambidances and wagons bringing up 
the rear. All had arri\ed at Pattersonville by 6 p.m., 
including the staff. Nearly every house of respectable 
size and appearance in the village was honored by either 
division, brigade or regimental licadcpiarters, wliile the 
Commanding General and staff occupied a large white 
house to the right, some twenty yards from the side of 
the road. 

The whole army was in a very sinall space, but a 
strong force of infantrv and artillery guarded it well on 
everv side froni smprise and attack. At 6 o'clock, on 
.Siuidav morning, Williamson's Cavalry were scouring 
the coimtrv ahead antl on the right, occasionally skirm- 
ishing with the enem\-, who were out of range of our 
artillery. Aliout 7 o'clock, the Seventy-fifth New York 
moved slowly ahead, throwing out skirmishers and ac'^ing 
as support to Bainbritlge Artillery ; the infantry de- 
ployed toward the dense woods on the left, about one- 
half mile in advance of a large force of Generals Emory 
and Weitzel's command. Artillery was also posted to 
the right and centre, and in front of the Atchafalaya. The 



36 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



skirmishers, having moved about half a mile and beyond 
a bend of woods about two hundred yards, discovered a 
large force of the enemy's cavalry advancing on the main 
roa^d. Falling back to their support, the skirmishers 
reported what they had seen, when the artillery opened, 
firing three shells. The enemy hastily left. About S 
o'clock, a cloud of dust was seen in the distance. It was 
evidently caused by a large force of the enemy advancing. 
This faa was communicated to Gen Weitzel. Capt. 
Williamson was also notified of the move, and continued 
to be on the alert against surprise. 

Gen. Banks and stafi', accompanied by Generals 
Emory, Andrews and Weitzel, now rode up for the pur- 
pose of reconnoitering the country. After a careful survey 
they were able to see only a few rebel cavalry, and in a 
few moments their horses' heads were turned in the 
direction of Pattersonville, Gen. Banks remarking: 
" There are no enemy in front, we will advance the 
army, gentlemen." Half an hour after the cavalcade 
returned, Gen. Weitzel's Brigade of artillery and infantry 
advanced to the open ground beyond the point of woods 
on the left, and formed in line of battle as follows : 
Seventy-fifth New York, centre; One Hundred and 
Fourteenth New York, right centre ; Eighth Vermont, 
right; One Hundred and Sixtieth New York, left centre, 
and the Twelfth Conneaicut, left. Capt. Bainbridge's 
Battery, Co. A, First United States, was in position at 
the right, and Capt. Carruth's Sixth Massachusetts Bat- 
tery in the centre. Col. Ingraham's Brigade of Gen. 
Emorv's Division formed the extreme left of the line of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 37 



battle in the advance, and was composed of the One 
Hundred and Tenth and One Hundred and Sixty-second 
New York, Fourth Massachusetts, and vSixteenth Ver- 
mont. At this time both Generals Banks and Emory 
had a narrow escape from the bullets of the enemy's 
sharpshooters. Gen. E;iiory was placin^r his men "in 
position when Gen. Banks rode up. The two com- 
mandei-s were not more than three feet apart, and were 
conversing together as to future movements, when sud- 
denly from the woods on the left, not more than two 
hundred yards distant, half a dozen muskets were dis- 
charged, and the bullets went whistling past and between 
the Generals, one ball entering the breast and killing one 
of the body guard, (^^uick as lightning Gen. Emory 
half turned in his saddle and pointing to the woods and 
addressing his mounted guard, said : '^ After them, men ; 
there are but five or six of them, or we should have had 
more shots." As a number of the body guard put spurs 
to their horses two or three hasty shots were fired from 
the party in the woods without doing any injury. 

The remainder of Gen. Emory's Division was now 
drawn up in second line of Ixittle, supporting Gen. 
Weitzel, and in diflerent directions, the reserves being in 
the rear. The enemy at this time began to show them- 
selves in considerable force. About 10.30 a.m., two 
regiments were drawn up in line of battle direcHly ahead 
and in front of a large sugar-house, not more than a mile 
and a half distant; the dark line of infantry, scarcely 
visible to the eye, was in admirable position, forming a 
half square with the point toward us ; they appeared ready 



38 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKi^. 



to receive us. The rebel cavalry were quietly walking 
their horses over the whole country, some very le.surely 
toward our lines, approaching to within halt or three- 
quarters of a mile, for the purpose of reconno.termg. 
When satisfied, they rode in haste toward the column. 
Our advance remained stationary until cavalry could be 
sent to feel the wav ahead. Suddenly the two rebel regi- 
ments drawn up in line of battle disappeared, then- cavalry 
followed, and in a few moments after the dense clovul ot 
risino- dust marked the course they were retreating. Uapt. 
Williamson's First Louisiana Cavalry of Maj. Robmson s 
command now started in pursuit. They rode at full speed 
under a galling fire from the rebels on the opposite bank 
of the river. Volley after volley was fired, as our men 
rode rapidly past, and for a mile and a half the discharges 
continued, but of all firing not a man was touched. 
Three or four horses were shot however. ^ 

In the meantime, Capt. Mack's Eighteenth New \ ork 
Battery was rapidlv put in position, and a sharp fire was 
kept up for nearlv an hour, the shells falling and bursting 
in every direction. Under this fire, two regiments ot 
Col. (iooding's Brigade, and a section of Capt. Brad- 
bury's First Maine Artillery, Lieut. Morton, crossed the 
river over the pontoon bridge, throwing out skn-mishers 
and driving the enemy before them. Several shots were 
cxchangecf, but whether any of our men were killed oi 
wounded, I am unable to state. Whilst retreating, the 
rebels on the other side fired the buildings along the 
Teche, to prevent, as is supposed, their afiording a 
shelter to .,ur sharpshooters. About i o'clock p.m., the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 39 



whole force was ordered to advance. Skirmishers from 
the infantry and squads of cavahy from the different 
companies were detached and sent ahead to feel the way. 
Owing to the thickness of the cane-tields and the planta- 
tion houses and buildings, it was necessary for them to 
keep up a pretty sharp hre. 

Occasionally a rebel, mounted or on foot, could be 
seen in the distance, but on observing our advance, 
hastil}' left. As our forces were moving along the road 
bordering the Tcche, some ten miles and a half from 
Pattersonville, fifty or sixty rebel cavalry suddenly sprano- 
from out of a piece of woods on the opposite side, ad- 
vanced a few paces and fired their carl)ines. Qiuck as 
thought, a secftion of artillery, twenty-pound Parrotts, 
were turned upon them. The bursting shells forced 
them from their cover to the open ground, and they 
being in full sight and easy range, the shells were sent 
amongst them in beautiful style, exploding, ploughing 
up the earth, and scattering the pieces of shells all 
around. Never men rode faster, and as each moment 
their backs became less distinct, our men, who had 
laughed and shoutetl at their disappearing, gave one 
long, loud, wild yell, which echoed back from the woods 
the rebels had so recently left, seeming as if thev too 
marked them in their hasty retreat. Half an hour after 
we again saw them, this time, however, at a very re- 
speftful distance, and out of range of our Jieaviest can- 
non. They could just be distinguished by the naked 
eye. Their men were wiser than an hour ago, having 
learned ])y experience. 



40 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

An aide now rode up to Gen. Banks and reported that 
there were obstru(5lions in the river. It proved to l>e a 
half-destroyed, half-sunken, wooden bridge, with a pas- 
sage cut where the current runs, to allow boats to pass 
up and down. It could be repaired and made useful, as 
it was fifteen or twenty feet wide, one hundred to one 
hundred and fifty feet long, and reached two-thirds of 
the distance over the river, A few moments later and a 
report arrived that the gunboat Diana was in sight. 
G^n. Banks and stafl' rode from the road to the bank of 
the river, about one hundred yards distant, and from a 
rising ground tlie masts of our former staunch little 
gunboat Diana was seen, with a large rebel flag flying, 
nearly a mile distant. Everybody wished to take a good 
look at her, and the consequence was that they i-emained 
long enough to hear from her, for a flash, a pufl' of 
smoke, a loud report, and a whirring, whizzing, whist- 
ling noise, the latter becoming each instant more distinct 
as it appi'oached them, passing over their heads, plung- 
ing into the ground beyond with a thud that no doubt 
sounded musically to every ear, for it was a shell fn^m 
the thirty-pound rifled Parrott on board the Diana. The 
next instant and another gun was fired, this time oppo- 
site, from the other side of the Teche. They were the 
mark that both were firing at, for a shell whistled direcitly 
over and lodged in the centre of a bank not fifty yards 
distant, scattering the earth over several soldiers who 
were resting themselves at the top, and who scampered 
ofl' in double ijuick time. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Bobbin Boy's Coolness Amid Flying Missiles. — 
The Gunboat Diana in Action Tied to a Control- 
ling String. — A Lively and, Interesting Sketch of 
a Sharp Engagement. 



'HE battle liad continued without accomplishing 
much up to this, 3 p.m., Sunday, April 12th, 1863. 
The enemy had opened all their batteries, shells ex- 
ploded in the air, solid shot ploughing up the earth, 
when Gen. Banks and staff galloped up to our front 
line of battle, accompanied by his staff, sitting on his 
horse, amid the flying missiles in the air, as cool and as 
calm as if he was presiding over the Legislature. 

The first line of battle was under the command of 
Gen. Paine, composed of the Fourth Wisconsin, Eighth 
New Hampshire, One Hundred and Thirty-third New 
York, One Hundred and Seventy-third New York, ex- 
treme right resting on the bayou. Gen. Weitzel holding 
the extreme left on the first line. The second line was 
in command of Col. Ingraham of the Thirty-eighth 
Massachusetts. The troops under his command, One 
Hundred and Tenth, One Hundred and Sixty-second 
New York, Fourth Massachusetts, Sixteenth Vermont, 
the Third Brigade, commanded by Col. Goodwin, the 



42 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



Thirty-first MasScichusetts, and the One Hundred and 
Seventy-fifth New York, had been detached and sent on 
the other side of the bayou. The balance of the brigade, , 
comprising the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts, One Hun- 
dred and Fifty-sixth New York, and Fifty-third Massa- 
chusetts, were attaclied to Col. Ingraham, in the second 
line of battle. Capt. Bradbury, First United States Artil- 
lery, Co. A., were located near the Teche. Capt. Car- 
ruth and one section of the First Maine Battery engaged 
the enemy in front. One piece of Capt. Mack's Eigh- 
teenth New York was ordered to take position near. the 
road and silence the gunboat Diana, if possible. The 
action of the Diana was very singular. She would sud- 
denly appear round the bend and open fire and disap- 
pear. It was afterward fouml that a rope was attached 
to her, and it would be loosened, and after fire drawn 
back again out of sight. In addition to powerful guns 
on board the Diana, the rebels were supplied with bat- 
teries and guns of larger calibre, answering us, gun 
for gun, with great vigor. Ahead and behind us, the 
shells were exploding every instant. Generals Banks and 
Emory rode the length of the line in this awfid fire, 
ordering the right of Paine's line still further forward, 
and we pushed along up, and dark found us close to 
their earthworks. 

The firing ceased with the darkness, but tlie skirm- 
ishers kept it up all night, an order being given that the 
advance should retire out of the range of the light artil- 
lery, and bivouac for the night, taking position in two 
lines, the brigade of Gen. Paine forming the right half of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 4S 

each line, and Gen. Weitzel's the left half. Gen. Paine's 
command had scarcely obeyed this order ^yhen Gen. 
Emory ordered the Fourth Wisconsin, Col. 13ean, to be 
thrown forward to hold the woods and sugar-house on 
the right of the main road, as the enemy's defences and 
principal guns were masked by them. This position 
was contested with spirit all night ; the pickets were 
firing during the whole of the time, but the ground was 
firmly and gallantly held by the Fourth Wisconsin, with 
but small loss on our side. 

About I o'clock, on the next morning. Col. Bean sent 
a communication to Gen. Paine, stating that under coyer 
, of the fog and darkness, the enemy had been busily at 
work near their picket line all night, hammering and 
chopping, leading them to belieye that they were plant- 
ing batteries, or preparing in some manner to giye us a 
warm reception in the morning. Gen. Emory was in- 
formed of these facts. He at once gave Gen. Paine 
permission to place an additional force in position to 
support Gen. Bean, if necessary. Before the fog lifted, 
Gen. Paine moyed his headciuarters up to the line held 
by the Fourth Wisconsin. He was accompanied by the 
Eighth New Hampshire. This regiment was placed in 
line of battle in the rear of the Fourth Wisconsin, and 
both regiments were ordered to place themselyes in the 
deep plantation ditches, so that 1iy lying down they might 
be sheltered from all missiles excepting shell bursting 
directly overhead. 

The remainder of Gen. Paine's l^rigade now came up, 
about 6.30 A.M., when it was determined to make a 



44 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

reconnoisance, in order to learn tlie meaning of the 
enemy's movements dnring tlie night. Gen. Paine ac- 
cordingly went lip to the line of pickets in front of the 
Fourth Wisconsin. Proceeding cautiously, he reached 
the extreme advance, and from ohservation and informa- 
tion became satisfied that the Diana was witliin short 
range, having moved from her former position during 
the night. As Gen. Paine had just come to the conclu- 
sion that artillery could be placed in position so as to 
easily destroy her, the Diana fired her thirty-two pound 
Parrott, the shell passing in dangerous j^ioximity to our 
little force. 

About 6.45 A.M., the signal was given for the second 
day's fight to commence. About that time a large force 
of the enemy, infantry and cavalry, advanced from behind 
their bi'eastworks for the purpose of regaining possession 
of the sugar-house and woods. The guns on the Diana., 
the thirty-two pounder at the corner of the road, the 
batteries along the breastworks, together with a battery 
on the opposite side of the Teche, opened upon the 
woods and Gen. Paine's command. The men bravely 
stood their ground amid this terrific liail of iron missiles, 
and met the advancing enemy with spirit. An infantry 
fight of half an lioin- was kept up, our men still holding 
their ground, and finally driving the rebels to the shelter 
of their breastworks. While our forces and artillery were 
getting into position on the left. Gen. Paine sent to Gen. 
Banks, requesting that heavy guns might be sent forward 
as rapidly as possible, as his position must soon become 
untenable unless artillery arri\ed at once. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 45 

Scouts in the meantime were sent forward to observe 
the movements of the Dlana^ and in a short time tliey 
returned, reporting;- that she was changin<^ her position. 
The fog, whicli had been very heavy, now Hfted, discov- 
ering her position. A large flag was flying from her 
mainmast. A rebel battery had been quietly placed be- 
tween the Diana and our forces, not one hundred and 
fifty yards from their earthworks. They were attempt- 
ing to post their pickets, and get ready to open a fire, 
which must have forced our gallant fellows back, when 
Gen. Paine again sent a messenger to hasten up a battery. 
A moment after, the artillery of Capt. Mack's Eighteenth 
New York was heard thundering along the road. At 
the bend he was seen galloping at fidl speed, and the 
next moment the guns were in position. 

So rapid and splendid was the whole movement per- 
formed, that the enemy had not time to open their 
batteries before the staunch twenty-pounder Parrotts of 
Capt. Mack were throwing sliell into them, when the 
whole of the rebel guns were liml:)ered up and liurried 
away without firing. Under the circumstance, (jen. 
Paine was compelled to commence the fire with Mack's 
Battery before the Fourth Wisconsin was called in, and 
most of the shelling was over their heads. Capt. Mack 
now turned his artiller}^ upon the Diana and the guns of 
the enemy ahead, and on each side of the Teche the 
firing was kept up for two hours without cessation. The 
whole were in easy range of his guns, the Diana and 
batteries on this side of the river not being more than 
eight hundred yards distant, while that on the opposite 



46 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

side, to the left, was about fifteen liundred. Four liun- 
dred rounds were fired, two caissons emptied. The 
Diana and batteries, right and left, silenced repeatedly 
the gunboat, finally steaming up tlie Teche, and never 
firing a sliot this side of the breastworks afterwards. 
Generals Banks, Emory, Paine, and their stafis, rode up 
and complimented Capt. Mack and his command. This 
was the first time this battery had been engaged, and the 
men imder fire. 

While this battery was answering the enemy from 
every quarter, Col. McMillan of the Twenty-first Regi- 
ment, Indiana Artillery, ordered Capt. McLaflin of Co. 
G, to take a section of thirty-two rifled Parrotts, place 
them in position on the bank, in easy range of the 
Diana, and open on her. This was j^romptly done. 
Twenty shot, were fired, six of which are said to have 
struck her. The flag was shot away. The first shell 
that was fired is reported to have passed through-her 
iron plating and wheelhouse, killing both engineers and 
three other persons. Six were afterwards killed by two 
other shells. A large number were scalded and wounded 
on board the Diana, as one of the shells passed through 
a portion of her steam works. In half an hour after the 
first shot was fired trom these guns she steamed up the 
stream and disappeared. This was al)out 3 o'clock, a.m. 
She never appeared to tiglit Mack's and McLaflin's guns 
afterward. 

As the Diana was preparing to stand up stream to 
get out of range of our guns, a severe skirmish took 
place in front of Gen. Paine's Brigade, between Co. B, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. M 

Fourth Wisconsin, Capt. Carter, and Co. B of tlie 
Tvventy-fiftli Louisiana. The hitter were chiven off. 
While this affair was going on, information was brought 
to Gen. Paine that a regiment of the enemy's infantry 
had been hmded in the woods, and were advancing 
toward our right wing for tlie purpose of flanking it. 
This circumstance, and the discovery that another force 
was passing down to tiie banks of the bayou out of the 
woods, led him to suppose that the enemy were massing 
in that direction, with the intention of suddenly descend- 
ing upon Capt. Mack's Battery for the purpose of cap- 
turing it. To guard against this move, the right wing 
(Eighth New Hampshire) was ordered in position on 
the banks of the ba}ou, slightly in advance ot the right 
of the battery, with orders to protect it to the last, and 
charge upon any troops which might advance for that 
purpose. This movement, no doubt, checked the enemy, 
who fell back with their main body, leaving, however, a 
large force of skirmishers, who opened a destructive fire 
about 1 1.30 A.M. These were also partially driven back, 
and their fire slackened. Ours increasing, they, too, 
finally retreated behind the shelter of their earthworks. 
The fire on botii sides was fierce and constant. About 
this time every gun of the enemy's batteries was silenced 
also, and our firing ceased, leaving us in undisputed 
possession of the woods and sugar house. The ground, 
so hotly contested, was held during the whole time, the 
enemy being driven off at every point by the infantry, 
while the fire of the D/a/ia, the thirty-two pounder, and 
the guns on each side of the river, before and behind 



48 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

their breastworks, were silenced. Mack's, McLaflin's 
and Healy's Artillery observing this, Gen. Paine rode up 
to Capt. Mack, thanked liim and his command, when 
the brigade gave three cheers for the battery and its 
gallant chief. This was followed by three more for Gen. 
Paine, the members of the artillery company joining 
with spirit. Several shells had struck some buildings in 
the rear and to the right of the enemv's works, on this 
side of the Teche, setting them on fire. The artillery 
firing, infiintry fighting, skirmishing, and the burning 
Iniildings, presented one of the grandest sights we ever 
witnessed. 

During the whole of this sharp engagement our forces 
were in line of battle a little farther in the rear, skirm- 
ishing ahead the main body, gradually nearing the 
enemy's breastworks, and the artillery replying to the 
rapid fire of their batteries, and now the artillery opened 
with i^enewed vigor along the whole line. Capt. Car- 
ruth's and Capt. Bainbridge's Batteries of Weitzel's 
Brigade were also here. They fired from their position 
on the left until all their ammunition was expended. 
When they retired, several of the enemy's guns were 
cither silenced entirely by tliese' batteries, or compelled 
to change their position. About i o'clock, Capt. Duryea's 
Battery of twelve-pound Napoleons was ordered up in 
front, and was soon firing upon all the batteries of the 
enemy on this side of the Teche. Lieut. Morris, with 
one section of the battery, was ordered to proceed for- 
ward to within one hundred and fifty yards of their 
breastworks. They did so, and engaged the enemy 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 49 

from that time to 5 p.m., doing considerable execution, 
tiring in all two hundred and fifty-six rounds, when he 
ceased for want of ammunition. 

One shot from Capt. Duryea's command struck and 
dismounted a large brass field-piece of the enemy posted 
near the woods on the left. It was a gun of Valverde's 
Battery. From the eftects of this shot, Capt. Valverde 
and four horses were killed, and four men wounded. 
The two thirty-two pound Parrotts which engaged the 
Diaua^ were now turned on the land batteries distant 
about a mile, compelling the rebel artillerists to change 
their guns from one part of their works to another, as 
could be seen from the smoke of their pieces. The con- 
stant roar of artillery was now deafening. All day there 
had been firing, with more or less vigor, at different parts 
of the field, but now all the artillery appeared to be en- 
gaged, battery replying to battery, and gun answering 
gun. And now we will pass on the east side of the 
bayou, to see what they are doing, as Gen. Grover is 
there, 



CHAPTER VII. 



Gallaut Work of the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts. 
— Advancing Steadily Upon the Enemy s Works 
Under a Fearful Fire.— The Rebels In a Bag^ 
but Held by a Rotten String. 



THE regiments composing Col. Gooding's command 
were the Thirty-first Massachusetts, One Hundred 
and Fifty-sixth and One Hundred and Seventy-fifth 
New York, Fifty-third and the Thirty-eighth Massa- 
chusetts. The latter crossed the pontoon bridge about S 
o'clock, under a severe fire from the battery. The First 
Maine Battery followed. The Thirty-first Massachusetts 
was deployed as skirmishers through an immense cane 
field, at the end of which, a mile and a half distant, the 
enemy's breastwork extended for three-ciuarters of a mile, 
reaching from the shore of Grand Lake to the banks of 

the Teche. 

The advance of the Thirty-first was hotly contested by 
the enemy, and the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts moved 
forward in three detachments as a support. The inten- 
tion was to immediately attack the battery, but as soon 
as our advance was observed, it ceased to fire on Gen. 
Paine's Brigade, and accordingly the attack was not 
made. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 51 



Col. Gooding, however, decided upon finding the true 
position of the enemy outside his works, and also to 
ascertain if the guns which had been throwing grape 
into Gen. Paine's Brigade, was a light battery posted on 
the outside of the intrenchment, as was supposed by 
Gen. Emory. 

The Thirty-first Massachusetts was now advanced to 
within one-half mile of the works, but no light battery 
was found there. The advance was very hotly contested, 
and the ammunition of the Thirty- first being exhausted' 
they were relieved by the Thirt)-eighth Massachusetts,' 
Col. Rodman. 

An order was received from Gen. Banks to move on 
the enemy's intrenchments on the right bank, while at the 
same time an order was given to Generals Emory and 
Weitzel to advance on them on the left bank. " The 
Thirty-eighth Massachusetts deployed across the whole 
field, advancing to the position of the Thirty-first. The 
Fifty-third Massachusetts was also deployed as skirm- 
ishers, acting as a support. The One Hundred and 
•Seventy-fifth New York and Thirty- first Massachusetts 
were placed on the rear of the left, and the right of the 
second line of skirmishers as reserves, while at the same 
time the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York was 
ordered to turn the enemy's left flank. The battery, 
under command of Lieutenants Healy and Morton, was 
posted on parallel plantation roads, leading to the 
enemy's works. Our section was held in reserve, and 
:n rear of the second line of skirmishers. This being 
done, the whole advanced on the enemy's works, drivino- 



52 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



them into the same. The advance was very stul^bornly 
resisted, the rebel sharpshooters engaging our sldrmish- 
ers, while the artillery belched forth fire and smoke all 
along the extent of their fortifications, bravely answered, 
however, by our own, which was well served, and the 
guns of the enemy were twice silenced, and frequently 
compelled to change their positions. 

About 3 o'clock, a further advance was made under a 
severe dired and cross-fire from their batteries, and it 
having been found by this time that the enemy were 
very strongly fortified with powerful guns, the Thirty- 
eighth Massachusetts was ordered to advance steadily 
forward toward the earthworks, and when within the 
reach of musketry, to lie down and await orders. The 
next moment another order arrived that they should ad- 
vance, and if they could reach the enemy's works, enter 

them . 

As Col. Rodman rode along the line for the purpose 
of issuing his commands, the enemy's sharpshooters 
fired upoii him. He was the only mounted man in the 

regiment. 

The men advanced steadily and rapidly, so well that 
our troops on the other side of the Teche cheered us, 
and the rebels hastily entered their breastworks. The 
fire was very severe on the left of the regiment under 
command of Maj. Richardson of the Thirty-eighth 
Massachusetts, the men being more exposed to the 
enemy's fire than at any other point. 

A shell exploded just in the middle of the left reserve, 
killing Capt. Gault, Co. A ; Priv. Gill, Co. A, another 



CAMPAIGNING WITH feANKS. 5$ 



of Co. D, and severely wounding seven others of these 
companies. 

The front line at tliis time was distant from the enemy's 
works abont eight hunch-ed yards. The advance was 
now very slow, as the enemy was using every exertion 
from their works, and outside, on tiie right, left and cen- 
tre, to drive ns back. 

At this time Lieut. Russell of the Thirty-eighth Mas- 
sachusetts, with his company, was in the woods to the 
right, when about five hundred of the enemy's infintry 
advanced from the works, with the intention of flanking 
him. They opened a tremendous f^re, checking their 
further progress, and the right would probably have been 
turned by this overpowering force, but for the thick 
underbrush of the woods and the swampy nature of the 
ground, thus rendering their movements very slow and 
difficult. 

Col. Gooding at once ordered the One Hundretl and 
Fift3-sixth New York, Lieut.-Col. Sharpe, to strengthen 
this position and drive the enemy back. Advancing 
through the woods on the enemy's left. Col. Sharpe 
reached their rear and flanked them, driving the rebels 
before him. They were the Eighteenth Louisiana In- 
fontry and three companies of the Seventh Texas Cavalry, 
the latter dismounted. A section of artillery was also 
posted by the rebels on that end of the works, for the 
purpose of assisting their force to flank us. 

Suddenly the enemy sent a powerful force to the 
assistance of the rebels, as it was found that they were 
being driven at every point. 



54 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



Col. Sharpe had now a much superior force to contend 
against. A sharp musketry fire by volleys was com- 
menced and kept up for some time, when word reachmg 
Col Gooding that Col. Sharpe's force was outnumbered 
by the enemy, the Thirty-first Massachusetts was imme- 
diately sent to reinforce him. As soon as they arrived, 
a char-e was made by Col. Sharpe upon a strong abatt.s 
to the''ri<-ht of the earthworks in the woods, about two 
hundred'yards distant, and hidden entirely from sight of 
the latter by the trees. The position was evidently a 
strong one, for the enemy had dug a ditch and felled 

trees around it. 

The rebels in the abattis fought bravely, and our 
forces fell back about twenty feet, when Sergt. Kennedy 
of Co. I, advancing to the front, waved his musket as an 
ofiicer would his sword, shouted: "Let's try it agam, 
boys; we'll have it this time; follow me!" and the 
c^allant fellow bounded forward. The rest followed w.tli 
a yell, when the ditch obstrudions and guns were passed 
in a moment, and the next instant the abattis was taken 
and the enemy was at the mercy of our soldiers. 

One hundred men surrendered witli three guns. The 
abattis was held by our men with little loss. The guns 
were struck frequently by the shot and shell from the 

enemy's batteries. ^r , n i 

The One Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York, Col. 
Sharpe, and the Thirty-first Massachusetts, Col. Hop- 
kins, held the woods and abattis all night, fighting the 
enemy the whole time, and killing and wounding a large 
number. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



55 



About 5 P.M., the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts haviuo- 
expended all their ammunition, the Fifty-tliird Massa^ 
chusetts. Col. Kimball, was ordered by Col. Goodino- to 
advance and relieve the Thirty-eighth. '' 

The Fifty-third Massachusettt, nine months' men 
came under fire to relieve the Thirty-eighth, and for -'i 
regmient that had not been in service but a short time 
and had only had guns in their possession two weeks' 
moved up in a solid line of battle which would cause 
envy of the veteran troops, pushing up close to the 
enemy's works, and holding their position through that 
long, dreary night, and planting their flag on the earth- 
works next morning. 

The fight continued in that position. All day there 
had been a constant roar of artillery and musketry, o-rape 
ball and shell, on both sides of the river. It was one of 
the warmest and liveliest fights known, and the enemy 
were driven at every point. 

_ At daylight in the morning. Col. Kimball, command- 
ing the advance line of skirmishers, failing to discover 
any trace of the enemy in front, concluded to advance 
his hue to the enemy's works, when he found them 
evacuated. At the same time, Capt. W. Irvine. Allen 
of the Thirty-first Massachusetts, having his company 
employed as skirmishers in the woods on the left, and 
seeing the forward movement of Col. Kimball's line of 
sknmishers, ordered his men to advance, also enterino- 
the enemy's works on tlie left at the same time. 

While this movement was taking place, Col. Goodino- 
received an order from Gen. Emory to ascertain if pos"^ 



56 CAMPAIGNING With banks. 

sible by an advance movement whether the enemy had 
evacuated his works, when the welcome news was 
received that the flags of the Fifty-third Massachusetts 
aheady waved over them. 

In the meantime, Gen. Emory on the other side of the 
bayou, had ordered Gen. Paine to push forward imme- 
diately, deploying the Eiglith New Hampshire in line of 
skirmishers, and advanced, and, climbing the earth- 
works, the flag of the Old Granite State on one side, and 
the Bay State on the other, waved over them, and the 
rebels were in full retreat. 

Before following the retreating enemv vve must explain 
what was occurring in their rear. As Gen. Banks said : 
"We had the rebels in a bag, and Gen. Grover held the 
strings, and the whole rebel army was gobbled up ; but 
the d — n string was rotten, and tliey slipped through." 

Gen. Grover had started from Brashear City on the 
gunboat Clifton with his division, and the transports 
La7irel Hill, ^iiinnebog and St. Mary's. The whole 
proceeded up the Atchafalaya River, the Clifton taking 
the lead. About thirty-five miles, at a place known as 
the McWilliams Road, we disembarked the First Louis- 
iana, and the brigade of Col. Birge landed at the same 
time. The former immediately formed in line of battle, 
and Lieut. -Col. Fisk advanced with two companies and 
deployed as skirmishers toward the woods, supported 
by Col. Ploleomb with the balance of the regiment. 

Suddenly, after proceeding a short distance, artillery 
opened upon our forces from the woods beyond the road, 
instantly followed by a sharp discharge of musketr}'. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



Col. Fisk, with his command, was ordered to advance 
into the woods, while Col. Plolcomb moved rapidly with 
his regiment to take the enemy's guns, or drive them 
back and advance through the woods to the opposite 
edge, distant about three-quarters of a mile. 

At this time. Col. Fisk fell, wounded through the 
leg, and his men moved forward with more spiHt as if 
determined to dearly avenge his tall, when the enemy 
retreated m haste. Our force now advanced to the ed-e 
of the woods, which it held, and the Twelfth Connedl- 
cut. One Hundred and Fifty-ninth and Sixth New York 
shortly after arrived as a support. 

Here Gen. Dwight was ordered to halt, and await the 
disembarking of the rest of the division. Gen. Dwio-ht 
was now reinforced by the remainder of his brigade, 
and Capt. Closson's battery of artillery. The enem")-, in 
considerable numbers, was moving about on the plain 
ahead and across the bridges of the Teche. This force 
consisted of four guns, three hundred cavalry, an<l a few 
infantry. 

As soon as our cavalry and artillery arrived at the 
ground, the former was sent to occupy and hold the 
Ji.nction of the Lake Road that runs parallel with the 
Teche. The next morning the division again advanced, 
Birge's Brigade in front, followed by the bric^ades of 
Dwight and Kimball. Rogers' Battery was in "dvance, 
with Capt. Closson, Nims' Battery in reserve. The ad- 
vance reached Irish Bend, about eleven miles from the 
rebel earthworks, where Generals Banks and Emory 
were engaged. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

At Close Quarters xvlth the Rebels. — Lively Fighting. 

— General Dwlghfs Flank Movement on the Enemy. 

— A Grand Charge. — Graphic Recital of Move- 
ments Never Before Described. 



^Y^\lY. enemy was strongly posted at this point, Irish 
JL Bend. Their right flank was supported by artil- 
lery and their left extended round into another wood in 
such a manner as to completely encircle any force which 
should simply attack their position in the woods. 

Col. Birge of the Third Brigade of Gen. Grover s 
Division, at this time in command of the advance, and 
supported by two sections of Rogers' Battery, now 
skirmished with the rebels in front for about an hour, 
our skirmishers and their supports engaging the infantry 
and dismounted cavalry of the enemy. Col Birge then 
ordered the Twenty-fifth Connecticut and One Hundred 
and Fifty-ninth New York in front of the first skirt of 
woods. He had no sooner done this than the enemy 
commenced a flank attack, endeavoring to take the 
section of Rogers' Battery which was on the right. 
These two regiments, assaulted by a fire on their front 
-uid rio-ht from an enemy very perfectly concealed, re- 
plied ineffectually to the fire, and commenced to fall 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 59 



back, when Gen. Grover rode up to the front and rallied 
them, and at the same time ordered Gen. Dwight to 
hasten up with his brigade. 

This section of Rogers' Battery was ordered to limber 
up and go to the rear, the firing of the enemy being so 
lively as to pick off nine of the cannoniers at their guns. 
At this time Gen. Dwight moved on the field with his 
brigade, placing the Sixth New York on his right in such 
a manner as to outflank the enemy's left. 

The Ninety-first New York was ordered to the front 
to advance toward the woods occupied by the First 
Louisiana, supporting the Sixth New York, Twenty- 
second Maine, One Hundred and Thirty-first and Ninety- 
first New York. 

Forward ! was the order, and like veterans they moved 
across the field, through the woods, over another field, 
the rebels retiring slowly. Then with one grand charge 
the enemy fled before us, leaving over one hundred 
prisoners. Thus, the position which Birge's Brigade 
failed to take with the loss of over three hundred men, 
was taken by Gen. Dwight's flank movement with a loss 
of seven killed and twenty-one wounded. Then Gen- 
Grover ordered a halt, and we rested till 3 o'clock, when 
the order was given to forward ; it was found that the 
enemy had retreated, and that the entire line of eartli- 
works of the rebs extended from tlie Grand Lakes to 
the Teche, about two and one-half miles. In some 
places the works were higher than the guns ; the earth 
was cut away, in order to give them range, the ground 
being literally covered with shot, shell, grape and canis- 



60 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



ter, and over forty dead horses. The gaUant charge of 
the Thu-teenth Connecticut, and the capture of the rebel 
battery flag, was one of the features of this movement. 

The army of Grover having failed to bag the rebs, 
united with the main army under Emory and Weitzel, 
which had passed through Frankhn ; the army pushed 
on to New Iberia on Thursday. Summing up tlie result 
of this fight, the gunboat Diana, and transport Ncxvsboy, 
the Gossamer, and Era No. 2, and the ironclad Hart, 
the Bhie Hammock, Darby, Louise, Uncle Tommy, 
and Cricket, were all fired or sunk by the enemy in their, 
retreat. All of the commissary stores and ammunition 
were destroyed with them. 

The Cornic, the rebel hospital boat, was captured, 
with over sixty wounded. On board of her was found 
Capt. Tevvett and Lieut. Alice, two of our officers, who 
were captured and refused parole when the Diana was 
first captured. We had destroyed an iron foundry at 
Franklin, also a large saw mill, and a larger one at New 
Iberia, and salt works. 

Forward ! was still the onler, and through the hot sun 
and dusty roads the grand army of Banks trailed along 
behind the retreating rebels. 

A dashing cavalry charge was made l)y Maj. Robin- 
son's command; the companies were Williamson's, Bar- 
rett's and Perkins'. The rear-guard of the enemy's 
cavalry, which for two days had desperately attempted 
to check our pursuit, made a stand for the purpose ot 
attacking our party ; they numbered nearly two to our 
one, and when our party approached them a charge was 



CAMPAIGNING WZTil BANKS. 61 



made upon the enemy's body with such liravery and im- 
petuo.sity, that, completely taken by surprise, they made 
a feeble resistance and turned and fled in great disorder. 
They were chased nearly four miles. Sevent^•-five pris- 
oners were captured. A halt was at last ordered, as the 
enemy's infantry had massed in considerable force to 
receive us. We lost ten wounded, and fifteen horses 
kdled. One of our men was taken prisoner by the 
enemy. He could not check his horse. In a second 
charge he was rescued by our men. Gen. Emory com- 
plimented the commanders for this brilliant affair. The 
Nineteenth Corps was under fire for the first time. Some 
of the troops had been in some hard fights and skirm- 
ishes, but the majority of the regiments were under fire 
for the first time. 

Every regiment, every section and battery of artillery, 
and cavalry, did their duty nobly ; and the record made 
in this maiden fight, under the command of that grim old 
warrior. Gen. William H. Emory, demonstrated that the 
flag of the Nineteenth Army Corps was never to sufl'er 
defeat, for, as a matter of history, wherever the flag of 
the Nineteenth Corps was, victory was sure to perch on 
the shoulders of the General commanding, if he had the 
courage ; but the Major-Generals commanding the armies 
did not always have the staying powers, but would order 
a retreat to a safer place for themselves. 

On the i8th, we retreated near Vermilionville. On 
the 19th, we arrived at Opelousas, where the defimct 
Confederate government of Louisiana was not in the 
saddle, but headquarters were on wheels. 



62 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

After our long and dusty march of one hundred miles, 
we were about to enter the annex capital. Regiments 
braced up, flags unfurled, drums beating, and fifes play- 
ing, we marched in. A few houses on the right of the 
road, and a few on the left, then the open Held, and the 
question was: Where was Opelousas.^ And the answer 
came : '•" You have just passed through the city." 

The army went into camp in this vicinity, and wagon 
trains were sent out after cotton ; and the battles through 
which we had passed, the hard marching which we 
had endured, was now to result in being constantly 
employed gathering cotton to ship to New Orleans, the 
entire wagon train being employed for this purpose, 
and the army on short rations, and an order from head- 
quarters forbidding foraging, under severe penalties, 
according to army regulations, so we had to indulge in a 
little private foraging. 

My company (E of the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts) 
had been detailed as guard at Gen. Emorv's head(juarters 
during the entire campaign. Fighting and marching 
with the regiments during the dav, and jeporting at 
headcjuarters at night, made our life somewhat easier 
than the otliers ; but we were hiuigry sometimes, and 
some generous-hearted citizens had presented the old 
man with a good-sized calf. The orders of the guard 
were, " Keep your eyes on that calf." And we did ! I 
think I can see now, at that hour in the morning when 
slumber is the deepest, a line of objects creeping in the 
grass. Was it the enemy? No; for instead of rifles they 
carried pieces of fence rails, made into short bludgeons. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 63 

Suddenly they moved qiiickei". A dull thud is heard, 
and then they rise to carry an object with them. All is 
still. Suddenly the fii'es brighten up in the company's 
streets, and the pot boils merrily ; and ere daybreak we 
had finished as fine a soup as we had ever indulged in, 
and every bone was buried deep, deep in the ground, and 
no sign left to tell the tale — for even that was ate. 

The old man stirs in his tent, and suddenly comes out, 
looking a moment, antl misses his pet, and in that deep, 
gruft' \oice, which he used to speak in, says, '' vSentry, 
where in h— II is that calf .^ " The sentry replied, meekly, 
" What, sir; what calf?" Oh, what innocence ! Then 
suddenly the old man broke out with, *•' vSend Capt. 
Smith to me." Capt. John Ed. appeared, and with a 
salute which did credit to his military education, and 
with a face which did credit to his innocence, as his 
tongue tasted of the meat he had just devoured, asks, 
" What 's wanted. General? " " Where is that calf, sir? 
Where is that calf, sir, that was in your charge?" 
"What, is he gone?" "Damn it, don't you see it's 
gone? Your men stole it." The Captain denied this. 
The result was, that the Captain and company were 
ordered to report to their regiment immediately, but as 
we had those orders every da}', we did not pay any 
attention to them, but served at the headquarters imtil 
the remainder of the campaign. 

On the 2ist, Gen. Dwight, of Gen. Grover's Division, 
with his brigade and detachment of artillery and cavalry, 
pushed forward toward Washington. We found the 
bridge over the bayous Cocodue and Boeuft' destroyed, 



64 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

and spent the night in rephicing the bridge. The steamer 
Have was bnrnt at this phice. A despatch was tonnd 
by Gen. Dwight, in wliich Gov. Moore tells Gen. Tay- 
lor to slowly retreat to Alexandria, and if pressed hard, 
to retire to Texas. 



CHAPTER IX. 



A W/wle Army Efigaged in Gathermg Cotton.— 
Rebels Watching for Colotiel Chick ering atid His 
Train of Booty. — How the Gallant Colonel Suc- 
ceeded in " Tankeeing" the Spies. 



A PRIL 27th, the army settled down. Cotton is 
-^^ king, for the army is doing nothing else but gather- 
ing cotton. An expedition, consisting of the One Hun- 
dred and Sixty-second New York Regiment, Lieut.-Col. 
Blanchard, and one section of artillery, Co. B, First 
Louisiana Cavalry, went out to examine the road and 
the bay on Courtableau. Gen. Grover's Division was 
ordered to encamp there, and all cotton, sugar and 
molasses, was delivered there ; and instead of being com- 
missariaged for the rebels, the rebels were furnishing us 
with supplies to be shipped to New Orleans and Brashear 
City. The drilling was omitted on account of the heat. 
A grand rexiew by Banks and Emory. The Fourth 
Wisconsin Regiment, and the Third Massachusetts Cav- 
alry, made their first appearance at this review, mounted 
on horses and mules of every description, creating con- 
siderable merriment. 

An order was read announcing the arrival of Col. 
Grierson's Cavalry at Baton Rouge, after a successful 
5 



66 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

raid through Mississippi. General orders were read by 
Gen. Banks, congratulating the army on its success, and 
stating that he now held the key to the position, and the 
rebel armies were defeated and demoralized. The lock 
must have been terrible rusty, for the rebels very easily 
broke it a few weeks afterwards. 

Forward ! March ! and the army moves again. Arriv- 
ing at Alexandria, on the Red River, which had been cap- 
tured by Admiral Porter's gunboat. May 14th, we are oft' 
again, twenty miles a day, back over the old road as far 
as Chaineville, and there the direction of the army was 
changed in the direction of the Mississippi, arriving at 
Simsport on the Atchafalaya River. May 19th, part of 
the army was ferried across and marched on to Morganza 
Bend ; the rest of the troops were carried on steamers to 
Bayou Sara, and also the troops at Morganza were landed 
there, pushing on into the interior, passing through the 
village of St. Francisville, where we encamped for the 
night. The next morning, on the arrival of Mack's 
Black Horse Battery (Eighteenth New York) , the column 
moved to Port Hudson. We will now return to Col. 
Chickering's command, where we left them gathering 
supplies at Opelousas. 

The Forty-first Massachusetts Infantry was mounted, 
and called the Third Cavalry ; the Fifty-second Massa- 
chusetts, One Hundred and Fourteenth, One Hundred 
and Twenty-fifth, Ninetieth New York, with one com- 
pany of the Thirteenth Conne(5licut, and the Twenty- 
second and Twenty-sixth Maine, and a sedlion of Nims' 
Massachusetts Battery, under the cornmand of Col, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 67 

Thomas E. Chickering, having seen the last steamer 
load of cotton on its way by the river to Brashear City, 
getting the remnants on hand and loading them into 
three or four hundred wagons, started on the march to 
Berwick City. The ponderous train, once in motion, 
soon began to wind itself back along the banks of the 
Teche, over the same road which the army of Gen. 
Banks marched a month previous. 

On arriving at St. Martinsville, Col. Chickering, 
learning from his trusty scouts that the enemy were in 
ambush just beyond the town, at once crossed the Teche 
and marched rapidly to New Iberia, where he found the 
steamer y. AT. Broxvit., laden with supplies for his troops, 
unloading the supplies. They were at once distributed 
amongst the various regiments. The steamer was at once 
laden with cotton, sugar, corn and molasses, and with 
one hundred contrabands sailed for Brashear City. From 
New Iberia the march was resumed toward Franklin, 
and the warlike caravan entered this pretty little secesh 
town, amid the reverberation of the different bands, and 
the choruses of the regiments, swelling with the notes of 
the various camp songs, our glorious colors proudly flut- 
tering their silken folds over the serried ranks, all tend- 
ing to form a thrilling and beautiful picture. Perhaps 
you can form some sort of an idea of the gigantic pro- 
portions of one of these wagon trains, when we tell you 
that the one under command of Col. Chickering was five 
miles long. 

The noise of such a train in Virginia could be heard 
for miles, owing to the rocky soil and the iron axles. 



68 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

But in Louisiana, one must hunt very hard in order to 
discover a pebble, so that a train can move with but little 
noise, an advantage of great importance to an army on 
the move. On the evening of the 33d, the advance had 
bivouacked at Centreville, and the weary sentinels paced 
up and down their posts, anxiously listening for the wel- 
come footsteps of the relief-guard, when a mounted 
messenger dashed into camp with news of an attack on 
our rear. Three squadrons of the Forty-first Massachu- 
setts Cavalry were at once ordered to the rear to prevent 
any surprise in large numbei"s, and to disperse the cow- 
ardly guerillas that followed in the track of the train, 
annoying us constantly, evidently with the intention of 
harassing us to such an extent that a rapid advance would 
be impossible. 

In the meantime other messengers came in reporting 
that Gen. Moulton, son of the ex-Governor of Louisiana, 
with Brig. -Gen. Greene, were but a short distance in 
our rear, with five thousand men, including a large 
number of Texans. It was very plain that Moulton's 
object was to engage our rear, and then, by a co2(p-dc- 
vtain^ endeavor to flank the entire division. Upon 
discovering this scheme, Col. Chickering had three 
regiments of infantry drawn up in line of battle, directly 
in front of the wagon train, and orders were then given 
for the train to move on. Col. Morgan of the Nineteenth 
New York, whose regiment formed the rear-guard, was 
instructed to retreat, giving battle, and at the same time 
proted; the rear of the train. Col. Morgan indulged in a 
few lively skirmishes with the scattered forces of the 



CAMt'AiGNlNG With Banks. 69 

enemy, chiefly guerillas. The train was pushed on witli 
all possible speed during the night, followed closely by 
the most daring guerillas, and on the morning of the 36th 
we reached Berwick City, after a forced march of one 
hundred and ten miles in four days. The last forty 
miles was accomplished in the almost unprecedented 
short time of twenty-four hours, and the enemy followed 
close upon our heels. 

The rebels were exceedingly vigilant, and we were 
continually reminded that they were on the qui vivc at 
all points. Col. Chickering received information through 
reliable sources that the main body, numbering five thou- 
sand men, were at Calcosien, or Lake Charles Court 
House, forty miles southwest of Opelousas, near the 
Texas boundary line, and from which .State the troops 
were being drawn. 

The rebels were expecting Col. Chickering and his 
train of booty on the Grand Coteau, and the shrewdness 
of the Colonel in command alone prevented the rebels 
from gaining a rich prize. The enemy's spies, who pre- 
tended, of course, to be the strongest kind of Union men, 
were permitted to hold conversation with Col. Chickering, 
and he very adroitly made use of them by pretending to 
divulge to them the plan of the retreat, and he succeeded 
most admiral)ly in " Yankeeing" the sincere Union men. 
They were told confidentially that our forces were going 
to stop at Vermilion Bayou and construct the bridge over 
that stream, and the Union men of course had a strong 
force there, as we afterwards learned from a trusty negro. 

It was asrreed between the rebel officers that we siiould 



70 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

be flanked at St. Martinsville, but the rapidity of the 
Colonel's movements thv^^arted them, when Franklin was 
decided upon as the spot where this immense Yankee 
potent coi'n-hopping nigger train was to be engulfed in 
the mighty jaws of the rebel army ; but lo, presto, 
change, they passed through and beyond Franklin. 
Considerable powder and lead was wasted for the so- 
called Confederacy, and the chagrin of the balked rebels 
was so bitter, that for sixteen miles, from Franklin to 
Centreville, they fought us in their brave guerilla style. 

The rebels fired from the windows of the house at 
which Col. Chickering took dinner on the same day. 
At Franklin their performances were all laid out, but 
owing to some slight disarrangement of the machinery, 
the performances of the Confederate theatre did not 
satisfy the eager audience. They had been told that the 
retreat of the d — d Yankees was to be cut off, as well 
as all their heads, but suddenly their boasted tragedy 
became, if possible, worse than a farce. 

Nims' Battery fired several shots into a sugar-house, 
where upward of one hundred and fifty rebels were con- 
cealed. A number of them fled to the woods. The 
contrabands who were in the train were terribly alarmed 
at the guerillas, and the scene beggared description. It 
required the greatest exertion and vigilance on the part 
of Col. Chickering to keep the road open. 

Lieut. Woods of the One Hundred and Sixtieth New 
York Regiment, was killed, and a Major and several 
commissioned officers were captured by these guerillas. 
Col. Chickering has heard since that they hanged two 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 71 

of our officers, but he had not, at last accounts, received 
anything authentic in relation to the matter. 

Gen. Banks was very solicitous for the safety of this 
immense train, and a disaster to it would have sadly 
injured our cause. Now, as for the success, the follow- 
ing figures will show plainly. Six thousand negroes 
came into our hands, five hundred plantation wagons, 
three thousand mules and horses, besides a fabulous 
number of cattle. While the Forty-first Massachusetts 
was stationed at Berrie's Landing, five thousand bales of 
cotton were sent from that point, besides immense quan- 
tities of sugar and molasses, and it is estimated that 
upwards of ten thousand negroes had been sent from 
Berrie's Landing to Brashear City and Algiers. 



Chapter x. 

The Rebels Surrounded and a General Fight Begun. 
— Weltzel Bound to Win. — Stubborn^ Bloody Work 
on Both Sides. — Good Work of the Louisiana Col- 
ored Troops. — Geji. Sherman Wounded. 



ON the 33d of May, the command under Gen. 
Auguv and Gen. Sherman having marched to 
Baton Rouge, where they had been in camp during 
the operation on the West bank of the Mississippi, 
now marched toward Port Hudson, uniting with the 
forces under Gen. Banks, which had moved down from 
the Red River. Gen. Grierson's Cavahy had raided 
through the State of Mississippi, and arriving at Baton 
Rouge, were attached to Gen. Banks' command. The 
rebs were now surrounded. We immediately advanced, 
drawing them out of their rifle pits. The troops were 
in the following position : The right was command- 
ed by Gen. Weitzel with his own and one division 
of Gen. Emory's command ; the right centre by Gen. 
Grover ; the left centre by Gen. Augur, and the extreme 
left by Gen. W. T. Sherman. Our line extended from 
the river above to the river below. On the 35th, 
Weitzel's Brigade, with the divisions of Grover and 
Emory, and two regiments of colored troops, advanced 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 7^ 

to the assault on the extreme right, crosshig, and driving 
the enemy across Sandy Creek and into liis fortifications. 

On the 37th, a general assault was ordered all along 
the line. The line of battle was formed at daybreak. It 
soon became evident that everv foot of ground we gained 
had got to be fought for. On the right, the sharp rattle 
of muskets and roar of artillery gave notice that Weitzel 
was at work. As it increased in intensity, it became 
evident that he was having no boy's play, and he had 
not. Every inch was disputed, and the enemy fought 
with the ferocity of demons, but it was to no purpose. 
Our boys drove them slowly, but steadily, using clubbed 
muskets and bayonets when they could not load. 

It was soon apparent, tliat whatever else would be 
done by the army, Weitzel was bound to win. His 
column could not be checked, although sutlering greatly. 
The enemy went down before them as grass before the 
scythe of the mower, and although the work was tedious 
and bloody, no one faltered. Gen. Weitzel, keeping his 
men well in hand for the last rush, put tliem at the 
enemy's works on the river side, and they went on with 
a will, making the air resound with their shouts. Here 
the fight became murderous. It was hand to hand and 
breast to breast, the bayonets doing the main part of the 
work. The rebels could not stand it, however, and 
were compelled to fall back, and finally were driven into 
and then out of the celebrated six-gun battery, that did 
such terrible execution upon the steamer Mississippi the 
night she was destroyed. 

Here was a great point gained, a point that we could 



74 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

use to advantage against the other works of the enemy, 
and it did not take long for the quick eye of Weitzel to 
see all this and profit by it. As soon as possible the 
guns were put to work. This was decidedly the most 
brilliant and successful part of the day's work ; not that 
the men fought any better, or showed more determina- 
tion than those on the other part of the field, but it was 
the greatest point gained, and proved what we could 
do when resolved to accomplish certain ends. 

By this operation the enemy's left was turned, and in 
a manner to prevent the lost ground being recovered. 
The battery captured was the most annoying of any of 
the line, for it raked completely the channel-way of the 
river. The second ilivision of the Nineteenth Army 
Corps, in the attack of yesterday upon the right of the 
enemy's position, made an impetuous charge. The 
Sixth Michigan and the One Hundred and Twenty- 
eighth New York carried the enemy's works at the 
point of the bayonet, but were compelled to give way, 
as the enemy had massed its troops here, and it became 
necessary to fall back before overwhelming numbers. 

Not much ground was lost, however. We failed to 
maintain our position within the main works. The 
First, Second and Third Louisiana colored troops were 
in this charge, and they fought with the desperation of 
tigers. After firing one volley they did not deign to 
load again, but went in with bayonets, and wherever 
they had a chance it was all up with the rebels. During 
the attack of the centre by Grover, Duryea's Battery was 
placed in position. The advance had to be made by the 



CAMPAIGNING V/ITH BANKS. 75 

flank through a narrow pathway, hardly wide enough 
for four to go abreast. 

The Twelfth Maine was in the advance, followed by 
the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-first Massachusetts, sup- 
ported by the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth and One 
Hundred and Seventy-fifth New York. Advancing 
rapidly, the rebels opened a brisk fire in front, also a 
cross fire froni both flanks. Lieut. -Col. Rodman was 
killed at this point, the fire was so heavy. Tlie rebels 
concentrating a heavy force in our front, the assault at 
this point was a dead failure, and the attack on the left 
amounted to the same. 

Owing to some misunderstanding who was to blame 
for the assaults on the right, Weitzel charged about 8 
o'clock, Grover at about lo. Augur and Sherman at 3. 
Taking our part in sections, the rebs had time to con- 
centrate against each assault. Gen. Sherman led the 
attack in person, and fell, severely wounded in the leg. 
Gen. Neal Dow^ was also wounded. Col. Clark, of the 
Sixth Michigan was killed ; Col. Cowles, of the One 
Hundred and Twenty-eighth New York also, by a bay- 
onet thrust; Lieut. -Col. Smith, of the Zouaves, severely 
wounded. 

It must not be supposed that while the army was 
doing all this desperate fighting on shore, the navy was 
idle. On the contrary, the gallant Admiral was at work 
with the entire squadron, both above and below. The 
gunners moved their position much nearer the enemy's 
works, and kept up a continuous fire of tiiirteen-inch 
shell. The Hartford -axmX Albatross engaged the upper 



76 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANkS. 

batteries, and when Gen. Weitzel captured the six-gun 
battery before referred to, they moved further down and 
supported him by attacking the next below ; as the sun 
went down, the guns became silent, and the troops found 
their way into the ravines, and under the fallen trees, 
liolding our position close to the parapets, which we 
were not able to go over at present, for reasons best 
known to ourselves. Our loss was about two thousand. 

In ChajDter III, I said on March 14th, when we 
marched from Baton Rouge towards Port Hudson, and 
then marched back again — I said that we were well 
able to take Port Hudson at that time, for now we were 
worn out by our forced marching of three hundred 
miles through the Teche country, wearing out more men 
than we could have lost, if we had attacked at that time. 
The earthworks around Port Hudson were remarkably 
strong, the parapets of an average thickness of twenty 
feet, and the ditch fifteen feet deep and twelve feet wide, 
commencing at a point below the town, about one mile, 
known as Ross' Landing, extending to Thompson's 
Creek, about half a mile above. Near Ross' Landing, 
on the river bank, the line began in an enclosed bastion 
work. At the south-east salient of the line was another 
work ; a third was situated at tlie forks of the roads 
leading to Baton Rouge and Bayou Sara, and there was 
a fourth facing Thompson's Creek. 

The entire length of the line was about four miles, 
our line about six miles ; then for half a mile in front of 
their works every tree had been cut down and allowed 
to fall in every direction. 



C H A P T E R X I . 

Soldier Life Among the Grand Old Magnolia Forests. 
— Splendid Work of the Sharpshooters. — Picking 
Off the Rebels. — The Story of a Sunday JPight. — 
Striving to Capture Port Hudson. 



HERE we are still among these grand old magnolia 
forests, with the almost incessant roar of artillery 
and musketry in our ears, the desultory firing kept up 
night and day being enough to keep the beleaguered 
rebels, one would imagine, perpetually without rest. 
They must certainly, attach a deep importance to this 
stronghold, or human endurance could scarcely hold out 
against the dreadful ordeal to which we had subjected 
them. The bloody result of May 27th, taught us that it 
is far easier to talk of taking a strongly fortified place 
than to do it ; and we paid the dear penalty of that in- 
sane supineness which ever permitted such a fortress as 
Port Hudson to be built, when we could at one time have 
prevented it with scarcely more than a corporal's guard. 
All that the 27th of May left us we not only retain, 
but have gone far beyond. Along our whole line, from 
the extreme right to the extreme left, we have been 
gradually gaining upon the enemy, dismounting their 
guns as fast as they are remounted, picking oft', by our 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



splendid sharpshooters, every man who dared to show 
his head above their ramparts, and by these means ren- 
dering their armaments ahnost useless as we steal up 
closer and closer to them. In some places we have got 
our batteries to within three hundred yards of them ; 
and it is really terrible to peep through the embrasures 
of one of them, and almost look down the throats of the 
enemy's guns, so close to us in front. 

Thus matters continued until June 13th, when the 
commanding General, deeming the time had arrived to 
give the rebels another strong dose, gave the order for 
one more simultaneous attack on Sunday morning, June 
14th. 

Before dawn the most terrific cannonading commenced 
along our whole line that ever stunned mortal ears. The 
shells bursting over Port Hudson, mingled with their 
own firing and that of our fleet, and the dense clouds of 
our artillery, gave the place the appearance of one vast 
conflagration just about to burst into flame. 

After two hours of this dreadful cannonading, there 
was a comparative lull, and the sharp and continuous 
rattle of musketry told where the work of death was 
going on most furiousl}-. This was at the right, where 
Gen. Grover's Division was placed, and under him those 
gallant and fearless soldiers, Generals Weitzel and 
Paine. 

If Weitzel had the larger share in the work of the 
27th, that duty seemed to-day to fall on the command 
immediately under Gen. Paine. The forces of the latter 
consisted of the Eighth New Hampshire, Capt. Barrett, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



and the Fourth Wisconsin, under Capt. Moore, who 
were in advance as skirmisliers. Behind tliese came five 
companies of the Fourth Massachusetts and the One 
Hundred and Tenth New York, under Capt. Bartlett, 
followed by four companies of the Third Brigade. 

Closely upon them came the Third Brigade, under 
Col. Gooding, and composed of the Thirty-first Massa- 
chusetts, Lieut. -Col. Hopkins ; Thirthy-eighth Massa- 
chusetts, MaJ. Richardson ; Fifty-third Massachusetts. 
Col. Kimball ; One Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York, 
Col. Sharpe ; One Hundred and Seventy-fifth New 
York, Col. Bryan, who was killed. Then the Second 
Brigade, under Col. A. Fearing, and composed of the 
One Hundred and Thirty-third New York, Col. Currier, 
and the One Hundred and Seventy-third New York, 
Maj. Galway, the rest of this brigade being detailed as 
skirmishers. After the Second came tlie First Brigade, 
under Col. Ferris of the Twenty-eighth Connecticut ; 
the Fourth Massachusetts, Col. Walker ; and four com- 
panies of the One Hundred and Tenth New York, under 
Maj. Hamilton. These were all followed up by the 
necessary number of pioneers, and Nims' Massachusetts 
Battery. At 3.30 a.m., Sunday, June X4th, the column 
formed on the Clinton road and commenced moving. 

At about 4 A.M., the' skirmishers moved right up the 
scene of action, Gen. Paine being with them in advanc- 
ing, and the deadly work commenced, the enemy pour- 
ing on them the most terrible volleys, and our dauntless 
men combating their way right up to the enemy's breast- 
works. 



80 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

For hours the carnage continued furiously ; our de- 
termined soldiers, in spite of their General being seriously 
wounded, and in spite of the fearful odds against them of 
fighting against men snugly screened behind their bar- 
riers, keeping up the fight with the most indomitable 
bravery. It was impossible for any men, under their 
circumstances, to show more reckless disregard of death. 

But Port Hudson was destined not to be carried this 
time, at this point at any rate. Owing to the horrible 
inequalities of the ground, and the impediments which 
the overwhelming slaughter of our advance had created, 
the whole column was not able to come up as expected, 
and late in the afternoon our troops had to be with- 
drawn. 

During the intensest part of the struggle it is only fair 
to say, that Col. Kimball of the Fifty-third, and Col. 
Currier of the One Hundred and Thirty-third New 
York, advanced most gallantly with their men to re- 
enforce those in front. It is impossible to overrate the 
courage and endurance which Gen. Paine showed on 
this occasion. Although so severely wounded in the 
leg as to be quite disabled, he would not consent to leave 
the field, but remained there during the long sultry day, 
to cheer on his men, at the momentary risk of being 
killed by some rebel shot. Various efforts were made by 
his men to get him ofl'the field, or at least to get refresh- 
ments to him, and two gallant fellows, on two separate 
occasions, lost their lives in the attempts. One was E. 
P. Woods, Private, of Co. E, Eighth New Hampshire ; 
and the other, John Williams, Co. D, Thirty-first Mas- 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 81 

sachusetts. S. N. Busnach, Co. A, Thirty-eighth Mas- 
sachusetts, succeeded in reaching the General, and 
supplying him with water, but was wounded in the 
attempt. 

Before Gen. Paine was wounded, he had succeeded in 
getting five regiments within three or four rods of the 
enemy's works, some of the skirmishers actually getting 
inside. 

Our loss on this occasion was very great, the killed, 
woiuuled and missing of Paine's command reaching to 
nearly seven hundred. A number of officers and privates, 
among them Capt. Stanyan of the Eighth New Hamp- 
shire, Lieut. Harsley and Lieut. Newell of the same 
being wounded, were ordered in as prisoners, under 
threats of being shot from the enemy's works. 

The loss in the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts, was Lieut. 
Holmes killed ; Lieuts. V. K. Spear, N. Russell, Jr., 
and Charles H. Taylor (now of The Globe) ^ were 
wounded. Ninety-one out of two hundred and forty, 
that formed in line that morning, were either killed or 
wounded. Gen. Paine was shot below the knee of the 
left leg, and was not brought oft' the field till night time, 
when his wound was dressed, and he immediately con- 
veyed to New Orleans. 

While this was going on in one portion of Gen. 
Grover's command, the remainder, if not so hotly 
pressed, were scarcely less actively engaged. At 2 a.m., 
the troops under Gen. Weitzel's immediate command 
got into motion from their present locality (which they 
so gallantly won on the 27th of May), and advanced 
6 



82 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

round to the left to Col. Dudley's front, leaving five 
companies on the picket line. 

The attack (for assaults these demonstrations can 
scarcely be called), was made by two columns in two dif- 
ferent places. The column on the right was composed 
of Grover's Division and Weitzel's Brigade, under com- 
mand of Gen. Weitzel, while the left was composed of 
Gen. Emory's Division, under command of Gen. Paine. 
Col. Dudley's Brigade, of Augur's Division, was held in 
reserve. 

The forces under Gen. Weitzel, comprised his own 
brigade, formed of the Eighth Vermont, Lieut. -Col. 
Dillingham; Twelfth Connecficut, Lieut. -Col. Peck; 
Seventy-fifth New York, Lieut. -Col. Babcock ; One 
Hundred and Fourteenth New York, Lieut. -Col. Per- 
lee, and two regiments of Grover's Division ; the 
Twenty-fourth Connecticut and the Fifty-second Massa- 
chusetts. The history of the action on the part of Gen. 
Weitzel would be but a counterpart of that of Gen. 
Paine, the same obstacles to overcome, the same in- 
domitable bravery in opposing them, the same temporary 
suspension of hostilities in the face of opposition too 
elaborately difficult to be surmounted for that moment. 

On the right. Gen. Weitzel in command, the advance 
was made by the Seventy-sixth New York, under the 
command of Capt. Cray, and the Twelfth Conne(5ticut, 
led by Lieut. -Col. Peck, were detailed as skirmishers, 
forming a separate command under Lieut. -Col. Babcock 
of the Seventy-fifth New York. The Ninety-first New 
York, Col. Van Zandt commanding, each soldier carry- 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 83 

ing a five-pound hand grenade, with his musket thrown 
over his shoulder, followed next in order. The skirmishers 
were to creep up and lie on the exterior slope of the 
enemy's breastworks, while the regiment carrying the 
grenades were to come up to the same position and 
throw the grenades into the enemy's lines with a view to 
rout them, and drive them from behind their works. 
The Twenty-fourth Connec5ticut, Col. Mansfield, with 
their arms in like manner to the grenade regiments fol- 
lowed, carrying sand-bags filled with cotton, which were 
to be used to fill up the ditch in front of the enemy's 
breastworks, to enable the assaulting party the more 
easily to scale them and charge upon the rebels. Fol- 
lowing these different regiments came, properly speak- 
ing, the balance of Gen. Weitzel's whole brigade under 
command of Col. Smith of the One Hundred and Four- 
teenth New York. This command consisted of the 
Eighth Vermont, Lieut. -Col. Dillingham ; the One Hun- 
dred and F'ourteenth New York, Maj. Morse; and the 
One Hundred and Sixteenth New York, Lieut. -Col. 
Van Petten. Next came Col. Kimble's and Col. Mor- 
gan's Brigade. 



CHAPTER XII. 

A Dangerous you nicy. — Work in the Sap. — Vivid 
Description of Active Work Close to the Enemy. — 
Port Hudson Surrendered. — Grant's Success at 
J icksbtiro-. 



WE will now go into the ra\ ine and know what 
sights and sounds it is our business to be familial" 
with. First, we must creep out of the ravine, through 
the tops of the prostrated trees, whose boughs catch our 
clothing ; then up by the charred trunk, the feet slipping 
in the mud. Your head now comes in range of riflemen 
in the trees over there. A few steps more and we come 
within full range from the parapet ; but do not stop to 
look. Stoop as low as you can. and run. Tlie stumps 
will shelter vou, pitted with the striking of balls against 
it, as if it had the small-pox when a sapling. When 
you have caught your breath, run for a trunk ; it is an 
ugly one to get over, for it is breast high, and one's 
whole body has to come into the enemy's view. Once 
over this, and the road is smoother. We soon gain the 
cover of the woods, and are comparatively safe. 

Down through a little gully and we enter the begin- 
ning of the sap, at the end of the military road. Be- 
hind the angle, just back there, is the station of the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 85 

ambulance men. They wait there, day and night, with 
stretchers I'eady. Three or four a day out of the brigade 
and working party, are carried out. Tiie ambulance 
corps is made up largely of the musicians ; but music, 
we never hear it now, not even the drum and fife. It is 
too stern a time for that. We pass out into the sap. 
Here is the most dangerous point of all, just at the 
entrance. You can see how the rebel parapet com- 
manded it. We are going considerable nearer to it, but 
we shall be better sheltered. 'T is just in front, with an 
old shot-pierced building behind it, and white sand-bags 
laying on top of the tawny slope. That old building 
might be a ruinous mill, and those bags might be grist, 
laid out there along tlie wall until the miller was ready 
for it, but, every day or two, there is a sharp-eyed Mis- 
sissippiau with his rifle pointed through some chink. 
The trench goes under a large trunk, stretching from 
bank to bank, and from here w^e are tolerably safe. 
Only tolerable ; for one of our boys was hit in the face 
by a glancing ball, and another was mortally wounded 
by a fragment from one of our shells, which flew back 
into our lines from over the rebel parapet, where the 
shell exploded. 

Climb a steep pitch now, and we reach the station of 
Co — . The sap is here about six feet wide, and four feet 
deep, dug out of the hard soil, the dirt being thrown out 
on the side toward the enemy, forming a bank rising 
about five feet from the surface, and therefore about nine 
feet above the bottom of the trench. Here, now, are 
our boys, the few that are left, barely twenty. Along 



86 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

the top of the ridge of earth, logs are placed, into the 
under side of which, notches are cut at intervals of three 
or four feet, leaving between the earth below and the 
timber above a loophole four or five inclies in diameter^ 
for the men to fire through. 

Let us climb up and take a view of the world through 
the hole. Carefully laying your body up against the 
steeply-sloping bank, resting the feet on the edge of the 
sap. By all means take care that the top of your head 
does not project above the narrow timber. Your face is 
at the hole now. From the outside, a groove runs along 
the top of the thick bank ; then comes the open air ; and 
opposite you, within call easily enough, is the deadly 
ridge ; the two or three tents behind it, the old, ruinous 
chimneys, the one or two shattered buildings, so near 
you can plainly see threads, and bricks and splinters. 

Try one more look. Can you see any one? No head, 
I '11 warrant ; for though they are bra\'e enough over 
there, they are not often careless. The most you will be 
likely to see will be a hand for a moment with a ramrod, 
as the charge is pushed home, or a glimpse of Initternut, 
as a fellow jumps past some interval in the sand-bags. 
You duck your head now as the balls \\ histle over. It 
is a nervous sound, but you would soon get over that 
here. They go witli one hundred difierent sounds through 
the air, according to the shape, size and velocity of the 
proje6lile. Two strike the bank. It is like two quick 
blows of a whiplash. That went overhead, sharp as the 
cut of a scimitar ; another goes with with a long moan, 
them drops into the earth with a thud. It comes from 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 87 

some more distant point, and is nearly spent. A shot 
comes from some great gun in the rear, an earthqnake 
report; then the groaning, shuddering rush of the shell, 
as if the air were sick and tired of them, and it was too 
much to be borne that they should be so constantly sent. 

Sit on the edge of the trench now, with your feet 
hanging down and your back leaning against the pile of 
earth. The boys have built shelters of boughs just on 
the other side, to keep off a little the intolerable sun. A 
line of men goes along the sap, each carrying a fascine. 
Then comes a party into the bank beyond to give it 
strength. 

Dinner is ready, which is cooked back in the woods, 
to the rear. Coffee and stewed beans to-day. Then a 
shower of dirt falls over us, dinner and all, from a ball 
that hit near the loop-hole ; but to dirt and balls alike 
we are growing indifterent, so we only laugh. But let 
us go out to the end of the sap. 

We pass the Captain of Engineers, who is in charge 
here. We push through to the cotton-stuffed hogshead 
at the extremity. Looking back on to a side hill, we 
can see some of the old wreck of the assault, a rusty gun 
or two, mouldy equipments, and then a skeleton. Some 
of the regiments got very near on the 14th. The regi- 
ments remaining in advanced position, were constantly 
under tire and constantly losing a member, kilUed or 
wounded. With hundreds and hundreds in hospitals, 
or silent under brown mounds — mounds which, as it is, 
have become numerous on hillsides, and wherever the 
ground is soft and at all easy to the shovel. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



While the siege had been in progress, a small body of 
cavalry had been hovering in the rear, between Clinton 
and Camp Moore, but they were easily beaten oft' by 
Grierson. A very serious danger had, however, arisen 
in the return of Taylor's forces from Alexandria to the 
lower Teche and La Fourche Bayous, from which they 
now threatened the city of New Orleans, as well as 
Banks' communication on the river. After Banks had 
left Alexandria for Port Hudson in May, Taylor had 
been ordered, as we have seen, to accompany Walker's 
Division from Arkansas on its bootless expedition against 
Milliken's Bend. 

After this expedition had retired from the vicinit}' of 
Vicksburg to Monroe, Taylor had asked to take this 
division to Alexandria and unite it with his own troops, 
which would give him a force of between seven and 
eight thousand men. With these he proposed to move 
down the river and either raise the siege of Port Hudson, 
or capture the city of New Orleans, according to the dis- 
position of Banks' forces. In this plan Taylor was over- 
ruled by Kirby Smith, who ordered Walker's Division 
to remain in the vicinity of Vicksburg. 

Taylor tlien returned to Alexandria alone, and there 
recruited and reorganized his own forces, which num- 
bered about three thousand men. He divided them into 
two detachments, the first of which consisted of the 
infantry brigades of Mouton and Thomas Green, was to 
move down the Teche to its movith, and attack Brashear 
Citv in front, while the other detachment, consisting of 
tliree caxahy regiments, under Col. Major, was to move 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 89 

from Opelousas by way of Placqueniine and Thibodeau, 
and attack Brashear City in tlie rear. Small detach- 
ments of Union troops were at this time posted at Plac- 
queniine, Donaldsonville and New Orleans, on the river, 
and at Brashear City and Thibodeau, on the Western 
Railroad. All the rest of Banks' troops were at Port 
Hudson. 

The detachments moved as ordered, and Major's com- 
mand reached Placquemine June iSth, capturing its 
little garrison of seventy men, and burning two steamers ; 
thence Major's hurried on, avoiding Donaldsonville, to 
Thibodeau, when he attacked and was defeated on the 
20th and 2ist; thence he moved westward on the rail- 
road to Brashear City. Mouton and Green had mean- 
while marched down the Teche, and near its mouth had 
colle6ted some small boats and rafts. With these they 
crossed Grand Lake on the 33d, and attacked Brashear 
City simultaneously with Major's command. The place 
was captured with everything in it. Taylor's captives 
nnmbered seventeen hundred, and the captured guns 
twelve. Taylor also got the medical and commissary 
stores, and Banks was once more Commissary for the 
Confederacy. 

Taylor collected his captured property as rapidly as 
possible, and on the 24th he sent Green with his own 
and Major's men to Donaldsonville, while Mouton moved 
along the railway to the La F'oiuxhe, whence he sent his 
pickets as far as Bayou des Allemands, within twenty- 
tive miles of New Orleans, creating no little excitement 
in that city, which was prac^tically without defenders. 



90 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

There can be little doubt that had Walker's Division 
been sent to Taylor, as he I'equested, he would have cap- 
tured New Orleans, though he would have been unable 
to hold it for more than a short time. In regaining it, 
however, Banks might have felt obliged to raise the 
siege of Port Hudson. It was still two weeks before Port 
Hudson surrendered. 

Green arrived in front of Donaldsonville with a force 
of about fourteen hundred men, on the afternoon of the 
27th. There was a small earthwork at the place, garri- 
soned by one hundred and eighty men of the Twenty- 
eighth Maine, under command of Maj. J. D. Mullin. 
At 1.30 A.M., of June 28th, the Confederates assaulted 
the work, l)ut in the darkness there was a good deal of 
confusion in their movements, and they were completely 
defeated by the combined ac5lion of the little garrison 
and of three gunboats in the river. The affair lasted 
until daylight. 

Being repulsed in this assault, the Confederates moved 
down the river a few miles, and then erected batteries 
commanding its navigation. The situation was now 
very serious, one force of Confederates in front of the La 
Fourche, directly threatening New Orleans, and another 
on the river cutting off all communication by transports 
with Port Hudson. Gen. Emory, then in command at 
New Orleans, wrote to Banks, on July 4th, that he must 
come to the assistance of New Orleans at once or it 
would be lost : that the choice lay between New Orleans 
and Port Hudson. 

Banks, however, wisely determined to remain at Port 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 91 

Hudson, as he felt confident it must fall in a few days, 
when he would have abundant force to di'ive Taylor off. 
This confidence was justified. Port Hudson was sur- 
rendered on the morning of July 9th, and on the same 
afternoon all the transports available, were loaded with 
Weitzel's and one of Grover's Brigades and sent down 
to Donaldsonville, where they arrived the same after- 
noon. Other troops followed, and on the 13th, Grover 
attacked Green's force on the La Fourche, and a sharp 
engagement followed, which was undecisive in its result. 
A day or two later, however. Green withdrew to Bra- 
shear City, and Mouton was called in to the same point 
from the Bayou des AUemands. 

Banks overestimated Taylor's force, and did not pursue 
vigorously, so that Tavlor had a week longer in which to 
remove all the stores for which he had means of transpor- 
tation. On July 2 1st, he ran all the captured cars and 
heavy guns in Berwick's Bay, and on the following day 
began his retreat up the Teche. Banks' troops arrived at 
Bi"ashear City on the 23d, but did not continue tlie pur- 
suit. Taylor retreated without molestation to Opelousas, 
where he remained, skirmishing occasionally on tlie 
Teche, until the opening of Banks' Red River Cam- 
paign, in the Spring of 1S64. 

On July 7th, a letter was received from Grant, com- 
municating the intelligence of the surrender of Vicks- 
burg. Salutes were fired, and loud and prolonged cheers 
were given along the Federal lines. The news quickly 
spread among the Confederates, and in the afernoon of 
that day, Gardner asked Banks to give him an official 



92 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

assurance that the news was true. Banks replied during 
the night, sending a copy of Grant's letter. Gardner 
immediately announced his willingness to surrender, and 
proposed the appointment of three commissioners on 
each side to arrange the details. Banks acceded to this, 
and the commissioners met at 9 a.m., and drew up the 
articles of capitulation, by which the entire garrison was 
surrendered as prisoners of war, together with all arms, 
munitions, public funds, and materials of war and the 
post. 

The garrison laid down its arms on the morning of 
the 7th, and was paroled a few days later. The num- 
ber actually paroled was five thousand nine hundred and 
fifty-three, exclusive of about five hundred sick and 
wounded in the hospitals. The losses during the siege 
of forty-five days were about five hundred. The artillery 
numbered fifty-one pieces, and the small arms over five 
thousand. There were also large quantities of ammu- 
nition, but almost no commissary stores. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Opening of the Fanunis Red River Expedition. — 
Capture of Fort dc Rnssey. — TJie River Open to 
Alexandria. — TIte True Inwardness of the Red 
River Campaign. 



EARLY in March, Gen. Franklin with his division 
moved from New Orleans by railroad to Brashear 
City, alon({ the Teche Bayon, and by way of Opelousas 
towards Alexandria. Admiral Porter had, in the mean- 
time, collected at the mouth of the Red River a power- 
ful fleet of armed steamers — the Ozark., Osage and 
NeasJio., monitors ; the Renton., Carondelct., Pittsburg., 
Alonnd City., Louisville., Essex and CJiilicothe., iron- 
clads ; the Priee, Choctaw and Lafayette., rams ; the 
Slack Hawk., Ouachita., Champion and Tyler., smaller 
and lighter gunboats, besides other vessels. On the lotli 
of March, the force under Gen. A.J. Smith, consisting 
of the first and second divisions of the Sixteenth Army 
Corps, and the first and fourth divisions of the Seven- 
teenth, embarked at Vicksburg in twenty transports, 
descended the Mississippi to the mouth of the Red 
River, and joined the fleet of Admiral Porter on the 
afternoon of the iith. On the I3th, the fleet moved up 
the more southerlv of the two arms of the Red River, 



94 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

called Old River, and entered the Atchafidaya, a navi- 
gable outlet of the Red River, a portion of whose waters 
flow southwest by this channel to Lake Chehinachea, 
whence they subsequently find their way to the Gulf of 
Mexico, passing Brashear City. 

On the 13th, a landing was etTected at the site of 
Simnisport, about ten miles down the bayou, the town 
having been destroyed during the siege of Port Hudson, 
and some troops under Gen. Mower were sent to Bayou 
Glace, where a rebel force, estimated at two thousand, 
had been encamped in a strongly fortified position. The 
enemy had disappeared from that point, as well as from 
Yellow Bayou, where strong, though incomplete earth- 
works indicated an intention on the part of the rebels to use 
Atchafalaya as a base of supplies, its shallowness during 
a great part of the year rendering it comparatively safe 
from naval attacks. Gen. Smith immediately decided to 
march overland against Fort de Russey, distant about 
thirty-five miles from Simmsport, leaving the fljiet to 
follow as soon as the obstructions in the river could be 
removed. 

Fort de Russey, situated at Gordon's Landing, on the 
south bank of the Red River, seventy miles from its 
mouth, was a formidable quadrangular work, with bas- 
tions and bomb proofs, covered with railroad iron, con- 
nected with a water battery, the casemates of which 
appeared to be capable of withstanding the heaviest shot 
and shell. 

The position of the fort was such that its guns com- 
manded the approaches by the river, both above an^ 



. ^ HJ; I /ircHj-^ I 



JijiJlysA' 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 95 

below, SO that Admiral Porter's gunboats might have 
foLiiul it a serious obstacle. Fortunately the garrison 
had been reduced from one thousand to little over three 
hundred. It was important, therefore, that it should be 
attacked before re-enforcements could be thrown into it. 

At daybreak on the 14th, the army set out in light 
marching order for the fort, the brigade of Gen. Mower 
in the advance. The enemy's cavalry, a part of the force 
of Gen. Dick Taylor, kept up a series of harassing 
demonstrations during the entire march, and more than 
once the rear division had to form line of battle. About 
3 o'clock in the afternoon the advance arrived in the 
woods surrounding the open space about the fort, from 
which a tire of shell and shrapnell was opened from four 
guns. A brisk cannonade was immediately commenced 
on the fort from two batteries, and continued for two 
hours ; then followed an advance of skirmishers, a heavy 
fusilade, and a charge led by the Fifty-eighth Illinois 
and the Eighth Wisconsin. When the ditch was reached 
the garrison surrendered, and within twenty minutes 
from the time that the assault was ordered the color- 
sergeant of the Fifty-eighth Illinois planted the Hag of 
the Union on the enemy's works. In the meantime the 
fleet had returned to the Red River, demolished a formid- 
able barricade which had cost the rebels months to con- 
struct, and two vessels, the IVcas/io and the Eastport^ 
arrived opposite the fort while the attack was going on. 
The Eastport opened her batteries, but suspended fire 
when the assault commenced. 

The loss was trifling on both sides, that of the Federals 



96 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

being nine killed, and tiiirty-nine wounded ; that of the 
rebels five killed, and four wounded. Ten guns were 
taken, a large number of small arms, two thousand bar- 
rels of gunpowder, and a quantity of ammunition and 
commissary stores. The immediate destruction of the 
fort was ordered, but on the 17th it was accidentally 
l)lown up. The capture of Fort de Russey opened the 
Red River to Alexandria, about one hundretl and fifty 
miles above, on the south bank, and that portion of Gen. 
Smith's force which had been engaged at the fort was 
immediately embarked on transports, sent up the river 
and occupied the town, shortly afterwards followed by 
the I'emainder of the troops and the fleet. 

The enemy's forces retired, as well as several of their 
gunboats, towards Shreveport. On the 19th, Gen. 
Stone, Gen. Banks' chief of staff, arrived at Alexandria, 
and on the 20th, Gen. Lee, with the cavalry of Gen. 
Banks' Division, after marching from Franklin across 
the Teche country. During the first week after the 
occupation of Alexandria, four thousand bales of cotton 
were obtained, besides large quantities brought in by 
negroes. Gen. Banks declaring that the occupation of 
the country would be permanent, hundreds of citizens, 
among whom were a number of prominent residents of 
Alexandria, came forward and took the oath of allegiance 
to the United States ; a recruiting office was opened, and 
a large number of white men enlisted in the Federal 
service. 

Gen. Mower ascended the river as far as Natchitoches, 
eighty miles above Alexandria, on the west b^^nk of the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 97 

river, and on the 3ist defeated a body of the enemy, cap- 
tured two hundred and eighty-two prisoners and a 
battery of four guns, and took possession of the town. 
On the 26th, Gen. A.J. Smith left Alexandria and com- 
menced a march toward Natchitoches, to be followed by 
the troops of Gen. Banks as they arrived. Twelve gun- 
boats and about thirty transports having succeeded, after 
extraordinary exertions on the part of Admiral Porter, 
in passing the shoals above Alexandria, also moved up 
the river, their co-operation with the land force being 
deemed essential to the success of the expedition. Some 
of the larger vessels were detained below till the water 
should rise in the river. 

On the 4th of April the column of Gen. Banks reached 
Natchitoches, and remained there two days, when the 
march from Shreveport was resumed by the Mansfield 
road. This road runs south of and at a considerable 
distance from the river, through pine woods and a barren, 
sandy country, without water or forage. It was desir- 
able, therefore, that the army should spend as little time 
as possible in traversing it. Gen. Lee, with the cavalry, 
had the advance, followed by the Thirteenth Army Corps 
under Gen. Ransom ; after which moved the first division 
of the Nineteenth Army Corps, under General Emory, a 
brigade of colored troops under Col. Dickey, bringing 
up the rear. A division of the Sixteenth Army Corps, 
under Gen. A.J. Smith, followed two days later. 

The army consisted of about forty thousand men, and 
was thus commanded : The cavalry by Gen. Lee, form- 
erly of Grant's army — said to be a favorite of the 

7 



98 CAxMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

Lieutenant-General, and with the reputation of being an 
efHcient and active officer. The artillery was under 
Brig. -Gen. Richard Arnold, a Captain of the Second 
Artillery of the Regular Army, and chief of the service 
in this department. Gen. Franklin was second in com- 
mand of the forces. He had one division of his army 
corps with him — that commanded by Gen. Emory. 
The division of Gen. Graves was left at Alexandria to 
hold the post. Gen. Smith's forces consisted of two 
divisions. Gen. Ransom's forces also consisted of two 
divisions. With this army he began his march. The 
country through which he was to move was most disad- 
vantageous for a marching army. 

The topography of Virginia has been assigned as a 
reason for every defeat of the Army of the Potomac, but 
Virginia is a garden and a meadow when compared with 
the low, flat pine counties that extend from Opelousas, 
far in the South, to Fort Smith in the North, and cover 
hundreds of thousands of square miles. There are few 
plantations and fewer settlements. These are merely 
built in clearings, of pine logs thatched and plastered 
with mud, a few narrow roads, with no sign of life or 
civilization beyond an occasional log house and half- 
cleared plantation. The bark is stripped from the trees, 
that they may rot and die in a few months, and thus save 
their lazy owners the trouble of cutting them down. 

Into this country Gen. Banks was compelled to march. 
He found in the beginning that the arms of his service 
would be almost worthless. So long as he marched, his 
cavalry might picket the woods and skirmish along the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 99 

advance, but in action they would be helpless as so many 
wagon trains. His artillery would be of no use unless 
he should manage to get the enemy into an open clear- 
ing, which was as improbable as it would be to get 
troops with works to fight in front of them. The coun- 
try was little more than a great masked battery. It was 
an unproductive, barren country, and it became neces- 
sary to permanent military operations to carry along 
everything that an army could use. 

Such a thing as subsisting an army in a country like 
this could only be achieved when men and horses could 
be induced to live on pine trees and rosin. About forty- 
four miles from Grand Ecore there is a clearing of more 
than usual size, and upon it there was built more than 
the ordinary number of houses, and showing more than 
the common degree of enterprise and taste. This clear- 
ing forms a plateau, and as it rises as high, perhaps, as 
fifty feet, the people have taken advantage of the fact and 
called it " Pleasant Hill." 

Against this point it was determined to march. We 
knew that the rebel army was in that dir-ection, and it 
was not at all likely that they would make a stand and 
show us battle. The army marched accordingly, Lee 
leading the advance, moving slowly with his cavalry, 
and followed as rapidly as possible by the infantry 
division of Gen. Ransom. By Thursday, April yth, 
the whole army was in motion, and the advance was 
nearing Pleasant Hill. Gen. Banks broke camp, and 
with his staff' and a small escort rode to the front. Be- 
fore hini were two-thirds of his army ; liehind him the 



100 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

remainder, under Gen. Smith, and, composed of many 
of the bravest veterans in Grant's army, was marching 
rapidly. 

Early in the day, on Thursday, our cavahy had passed 
beyond Pleasant Hill, and about two miles above, near a 
ravine, they had met tlie rear guard of the enemy. A 
sharp skirmish ensued. The fighting became so earnest 
at last that Gen. Lee begun to doubt tlie ability of his 
cavalry to force a passage, and sent to Gen. Franklin for 
a brigade of infantry, as a re-enforcement. The enemy 
wei"e driven, however, before the infantry arrived, with 
severe loss, the cavalry being compelled to dismount and 
fight through the woods. In this skirmish we lost about 
fifty men killed, wounded and missing. The object of 
Gen. Banks' spring campaign was political as well as 
military. The importance of the Southwest may be 
properly estimated, when we consider our relations 
with Mexico and the embarrassments occasioned by the 
French interference with that Republic. 

The occupation of Brownsville, on the Rio Grande, 
by Gen. Banks, last year, did much towards checking 
the designs of the French Emperor. An American army 
was placed on tiie frontier of the new-made dependency, 
and any diplomacy between Davis and Napoleon was 
thus shattered and silenced. That occupation was merely 
a check. To make it a checkmate, the capture of 
Shreveport was necessary. This town occupies a point 
in the extreme north-western part of Louisiana, near the 
boundary line of Arkansas and Texas. At the head of 
steamboat navigation on the Red River, in the midst of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 101 

the largest and richest cotton districts in tlie trans-Missis- 
sippi department, tlie rebel capital of Louisiana, the head- 
quarters of Kirby Smith, and the depot of supplies for 
the rebel army. But the Government desired Shreveport 
and the undisturbed possession of the Mississippi, and 
Gen. Banks was charged with the duty of taking it. 



. CHAPTER XIV. 

Cavalry Conte?iding with tJie Retiring Foe. — A 
General Conjlidl. — Pressed Back by Overzvhebning 
Numbers. — Emory Looked for as Anxiously as 
BlucJier at Waterloo. 



THIS skirmish convinced ns that the enemy in front 
was in more than usual force. We learned from 
prisoners that Lieut. -Gen. E. Kirby Smith of the rebel 
army was in command, that his trains had fallen back 
on the road to Mansfield, and that his army was retreat- 
ing with more than usual disorder. It of course sug- 
gested itself that our pursuit should be rapid, and if we 
showed proper enterprise, we might capture Mansfield 
and the whole train of the rebel army. An order was 
given that the army should march early in the morning, 
and shortly after dawn the whole force was on the ad- 
vance, Gen. Banks and staff' following. 

The advance was pushed with energy. Our army 
skirmished all the way, and once or twice the enemy 
made a demonstration of force. Our troops ciuietly 
drove them, and we marched on. The roads began to 
be in a horrible condition, and frequently we were com- 
pelled to halt and repair tliem, building l)ridges, remov- 
ing stumps and widening the paths. At about 1 1 in the 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 103 

morning, Gen. Banks reached Gen. Franklin, at a point 
about ten miles from Pleasant Hill. The cavalry had 
passed on the train following. One division of his in- 
fantry had crossed the Fourth Division of the Thirteentli 
Army Corps, under the immediate command of Brig.- 
Gen. Ransom. His men were engaged building a bridge 
over a bayou that embarrassed the march, and his train 
was about to cross. He reported to Gen. Banks that 
everything was going on finely ; that his force was press- 
ing the enemy, who was slowly falling back, and that, 
as he could not hope to march much finther, he had 
thought it best to make his headquarters at a neighboring 
log hut, and had accordingly halted his trains. Gen. 
Banks directed his own trains to be halted there, and 
after resting awhile and holding a conference with Gen. 
Franklin, remounted and rode to the front. 

This was shortly after noon. A brief ride brouglit 
the General to the advance. He found the cavalry slowly 
pushing on, and the enemy disputing their march. It 
was a tedious process. The quietly retiring foe — the 
c[uictly advancing cavalry — the soldiers dismounted, 
and, creeping from tree to tree, occasionally interchang- 
ing shots, and sometimes so many at a time that it 
sounded like the badly fired volleys by which some of 
our militia escorts at home pay the last honors to a dead 
comrade. Still we pushed on luitil we reached a point 
that seemed to be about five miles from the bayou, and 
the clearing beyond, where Gen. Franklin had established 
his headquarters. 

At this point another clearing had been made for a 



104 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

plantation. It was roughly divided into fields for cotton 
and cane, and an old saw mill near by seemed to indicate 
that the owner had a larger share of enterprise than is 
generally given to the chivalrous lords of these majestic 
pines. The irregular firing was at an end, for here the 
enemy ceased to creep and seemed disposed to make a 
stand. Evidently we were marching too rapidly, and if 
they desired to save their trains they must fight for them. 
Gen. l^anks saw this, and ordered the infantry to the 
front to support the cavalry, and make a spirited assault. 
\n the meantime, in the event of the enemy being 
stronger than was expected, or too strongly posted, aids 
were sent to the rear to hurry forward the advance of 
Ransom's other division, commanded by Gen. Cameron, 
as well as to Gen. Franklin, directing him to advance 
with Emory's Division of the Nineteenth Army Corps. 

The Union forces were stationed as follows : On the 
right and in tlie belt of timber which separated the first 
from the second field was Lucas' Cavalry Brigade, mostly 
dismounted and dcpkned as skirmishers, while beyond 
and supporting this brigade, was the Fourth Division. 
Thirteenth Army Corps, under the command of Col. 
Landrum ; the Twenty-third Wisconsin, however, which 
occupied the left flank of this division, was on the left of 
the road acting as a support to Nims' Battery. The 
Fourth Division was composed of the following regi- 
ments, stationed in line of battle in the following order, 
commencing at the right, namely : Eighty-second Ohio, 
Ninety-sixth Ohio, Nineteenth Kentucky, One Hundred 
and Thirteenth Illinois, Forty-eighth Ohio, Sixty-seventh 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 105 

Indiana, Seventy-fifth Indiana, and Twenty-third Wis- 
consin. Between the Eiglity-second and Ninety-sixth 
Ohio, on tlie right, two small howitzers were placed. 
The field on the left side of the road heyond the Twenty- 
third Wisconsin, was occupied hy Col. Dudley's Bri- 
gade of cavalry, composed of the Thirty-first and Forty- 
first Massachusetts, Fourth Wisconsin and Eighth New 
Hampshire (mounted intantry), the main body being 
deployed in line with a small force in reserve near the 
centre of the field ; Nims' Battery, six pieces, was sta- 
tioned on our extreme front, just at the point of the belts 
of timber on the right. One sedlion was on the right of 
the road and trained so as to fire through the woods into 
the field beyond ; one piece was in the road and three on 
the left ; to the left of this battery there were two small 
howitzers. The Chicago Mercantile Battery was sta- 
tioned not far from the centre of the first iield on the 
right, and near a cluster of log houses, where Gen. Banks 
hail his headquarters. The se6lion of Battery G was 
further to the left and rear, and trained so as to fire to 
the right. About 4 o'clock p.m., the Fourth Division 
was moved forward through the belt of timber, and took 
position in line of battle behind the fence that inclosed 
the field beyond. 

The enemy was reported to be advancing, and Col. 
Wilson of Gen. Banks' staff'. Col. Brisbin of Gen. Lee's 
staff", Maj. Cowan and other staff' officers were sent to 
ascertain the truth of the report. These ofhcers soon 
returned and reported the whole rebel line to be in motion 
and rapidly advancing. Our troops in silence awaited 



106 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



the attack, and it soon came, the right being brought 
into ad-ion first. High and dreadful swelled the confli6t. 
The enemy pressing forward at all points met a terrible 
resistance. Volley after volley was poured into their 
ranks, sweeping down hundreds, only to give place to 
new hundreds, who pressed forward to supply the place 
of the fallen. 

Our troops stood firm, but the rebels, who outnum- 
bered us more than two to one, began, after an hour's 
hard fighting, slowly to gain ground, and our thinned 
and bleeding ranks were pressed back by overwhelming 
numbers into the woods. 

The rebels now began to show a heavy force on our 
left, which was the real point of attack, their movements 
toward our right having been a ruse to induce us to 
weaken our left by sending troops to the right, in which 
they had succeeded. It was plain to all that no human 
bravery or skill could long withstand the odds against 
which our troops were fighting, and that unless Franklin 
speedily arrived, we would be forced to retire. Gen. 
Franklin, with his stafi', did come up, but his division, 
under command of Gen. Emory, was yet in the rear. 

Our thinned and wearied ranks stood up nobly against 
the masses and murderous fire of the rebels, and cheer 
after cheer went up, mingled with the almost incessant 
roll of musketry and roar of cannon. The forces of the 
brave Gen. Ransom had been cut up dreadfully, and he 
himself borne wounded and bleeding from the field ; but 
still they held this position, Hghting gallantly. Gen. 
Cameron's Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 107 

arrived and hastened to the support of Col. Landrum's 
Division, but like bees from a hive the rebels swarmed 
upon it, and it was fast melting away under the storm of 
bullets that was continually rained upon them. 

Blucher at Waterloo was not more anxiously looked 
for than was Emory of Franklin's Corps upon that field. 
But he came not. We had now engaged less than eight 
thousand men fighting a force of over twenty thousand 
men in their chosen positions. Emory was reported to 
be within two miles with his division, and rapidly com- 
ing up. The ofticers encouraged their men to hold the 
field luitil his arrival, and bravely indeed did they struggle 
against the masses that constantly pressed them upon 
both flanks and in front, but, borne down by numbers, 
their shattered ranks were pushed over the field and into 
the woods beyond. 

The enemy had now tlriven back our left, and were 
within sixty yards of Nims' Battery, which was firing 
double charges of grape and canister, sweeping down 
the rebels in piles at every discharge. Gen. Lee, seeing 
that Nims' Battery, if it were not speedily removed, 
would be captured, by dire(5tion of Gen. Stone, ordered 
Col. Brisbin to have it taken from the field. The order 
came too late. Not horses enough were left alive to haul 
the pieces from the field. The cannoneers lay thick 
about the guns, and dead and wounded reliels in wind- 
rows before them. Two of the guns were dragged ofi' 
by hand, and Lieut. vSnow was shot down while spiking 
a third. Four of the guns of this battery could not be 
got ofl'and fell into the hands of the enemy. 



108 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

In the meantime our right was fiercely engaged, and 
our centre was being pressed back, and finally the right 
also gave way. Six guns of the Mercantile Battery, two 
guns of Rawle's G Batteiy, Fifth United States Artillery, 
two mountain howitzers of the Sixth Missouri Howitzer 
Battery, four guns of the First Indiana Battery, and six 
guns of Nims' Battery were left on the field. 

Nims' Massachusetts Battery worked manfully. The 
veteran battery, the hero of seventeen engagements, 
always successful, but this time doomed to defeat, de- 
serves to have its name written in letters of gold. 

When the time was approaching that it could hold out 
no longer, each piece was loaded with a case of grape 
and canister, spherical case shell and a sack of bullets 
containing about three hundred. This hurled death and 
destruftion into the ranks of the enemy, who wavered 
and fell back at every discharge of these fated guns. The 
battery lost twenty-one officers and privates, sixty-four 
horses and eighteen mules. Then came one of those 
unaccountable events that no genius or courage could 
control. Suddenly there was a rush, a shout, the crush- 
ing of trees, the breaking down of rails, the rush and 
scamper of men. Men found themselves swallowed up 
as it were in a hissing, seething, bubbling whirlpool of 
agitated men, who could not avoid the ciurent. The line 
of battle had given way. Gen. Banks took off his hat 
and implored his men to remain. His staft' officers did 
the same ; but it was of no avail. Then the General 
drew his sabre and endeavored to rally his men, but they 
would not listen. Behind him the rebels were shouting 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. lO'J 

and advancing. Their musket balls filled the air with 
that strange file-rasping sound that war has made so 
familiar to our fighting men. The teams were al)andoned 
by the drivers ; the traces cut and the animals ridden otl' 
by the frightened men. Bare-headed riders rode with 
agony in their faces, and for at least ten minutes it seemed 
as if all were going to destruction together. They rode 
nearly two miles in this madcap way, until on the edge 
of a ravine, which might formerly have been a bayou, 
we found Emory's Division of the Nineteenth Army 
Corps, veterans who had never been defeated. The rock 
of safety to the Thirteenth Corps was drawn up in line 
of battle. Opening their ranks to permit the retreating- 
forces to pass through, each regiment of this fine division 
closed up on the double quick, quietly awaited the ap- 
proach of the rebels, and in less than five minutes on 
they came, screaming and firing as they advanced, but 
still in good order and with closed ranks. 

All at once from that firm line of gallant soldiers that 
now stood so bravely there came forth a course of rever- 
berating thunder, that rolled from flank to flank in one 
continuous peal, sending a storm of leaden hail into the 
rebels' ranks that swept them back in^dismay, and left the 
ground covered with their killetl and wounded. In vain 
the rebels strove to rally against this terrific fire. At every 
eflbrt they were repulsed, and after a short contest they 
fell back, evidently most terril)Iy punished. It was now 
quite dark, and each party bivouacked on the field. 
Thus ended the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, April 8th, 
1S64. 



CHAPTER XV. 

A Council of War. — Withdraxval to Pleasant Hill. — 
Sharp FigJit J3ct%vcc)i Cavalry Forces. — A Fear- 
fully Desperate Charge. — The First Line of Battle 
of the Rebels Annihilated. 



TV FTER the close of the battle of Friday, a council 
J-^3^ of war was called by Gen. Banks, and it was 
decided to withdraw the army to Pleasant Hill, that 
place offering a better position to give battle to the 
enemy, who, it was expected, would renew the attack 
early in the morning. It was also known that Gen. A. 
J. Smith's command had reached Pleasant Hill, and 
Gen. Banks was anxious to unite the forces of Smith 
with his own. The withdrawal of the force commenced 
at lo o'clock, and before daylight the rear of the army 
was well on the road. The enemy in the night had 
pressed his pickets down on our front, but he failed to 
discover the movement of our troops, the withdrawal 
being conducted with greatest silence and expedition. It 
was not until morning that he was made aware that our 
army had left his immediate front when he followed after 
with his main force, sending forward his cavalry in hot 
haste to find our whereabouts. But they failed to come 
up with our forces until they had reached Pleasant HjlJ, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. Ill 

Gen. Emory's Division brought up the rear, and 
arrived at Pleasant Hill about 7 o'clock in the morning. 
Our forces were all at Pleasant Hill. The rebels were 
advancing, calvary in front, endeavoring to discover our 
position. Col. O. P. Gooding, with his brigade of Lee's 
Cavalry Corps, was sent out on the Shreveport road to 
meet the enemy and draw him on. He had gone about 
a mile when he came upon the rebel advance. Skirm- 
ishing immediatelv ensued, and, according to the plan, 
he slowly fell back. 

The fight was very sharp between these cavalry bodies, 
and Gooding lost nearly forty men filled and wounded, 
inflicting, however, as much damage as he received. 
Among his casualties, were Capt. Beck and Lieut. Hall 
of the Second New York Veteran Cavalry. Col. Good- 
ing made a narrow escape, a ball passing through and 
tearing the crown out of his hat, and grazing the skin. 
The brigade behaved very gallantly, covering Gen. 
Emory's front until his line of battle was formed. 

The battlefield of Pleasant Hill is a large open field, 
which had once been cultivated, but was then overgrown 
with weeds and bushes. The slightly elevated centre of 
the field, from which the name Pleasant Hill is taken, is 
nothing more than a long mound, hardly worthy the 
name of hill. A semi-circular belt of timber runs around 
the field on the Shreveport side. 

Gen. Emory formed his line of battle on the side 
facing these woods. Gen. McMillan's Brigade being 
posted on the right, Gen. Dwight's in the centre, and 
Col. Benedict's on the left. Taylor's Battery L, First 



112 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

Regulars, had four guns in the rear of the left wing, on 
the left of Shreveport road, and two on the road in rear 
of Gen. Dwight's line. Hibberd's Vermont Battery was 
on the right. In the rear of Emory, and concealed by 
the rising ground, were Gen. Smith's tried troops, formed 
in two lines of battle fifty yards apart. All his artillery 
was in the front line, a piece section, or battery, being 
on the flanlc of each regiment, the infantry lying between 
them. The Thirteenth Corps was in reserve in the rear 
under Gen. Cameron, Gen. Ransom having been wounded 
the day before. Gen. Smith was commander-in-chief of 
the two lines back yf the crest, while Gen. Mower was 
the immediate commander of the men. 

The commander of the right brigade on Gen. Smith's 
first line was Col. Lynch ; the left brigade was Col, 
Shaw's. The second line also consisted of two brigades, 
the right under control of Col. , and the left com- 
manded by Col. Hill. Crawford's Third Indiana Battery 
was posted on the right of the Eighty-ninth Indiana 
Infimtry, and the Ninth Indiana Battery on the right of 
the line of battle. The Missouri Iron Sun Battery was 
also in this section of the battle. 

The wind howled piteously through the trees, fanning 
the long pendants of gray, funereal-like mass, which 
decked the tops of the tall waving cypress and pines. 
The sky was shrouded with portentous clouds, while 
dense volumes of dust partially concealed the long pon- 
toon trains as they rumbled heavily to the rear. At 4.30 
o'clock, precisely, the rebel cavalry advanced toward the 
right and centre, the exultant foe yelling in the most 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 113 

fiendish manner, at the same time brandishing their 
sabres in the air. 

On they came at a slow trot, in good order, as they 
neared our lines graihially quickening their pace, while 
close in their rear came the three solid battle-lines of the 
enemy, shouting an indescribable battle-cry which would 
cause the nerves of the timid to vibrate, reminding one 
of all the ferocity of savages. From out the woods 
belched the enemy's artillery, when there arose from the 
crouching forms of several thousand loyal men a fearful 
roar of musketry, opening wide gaps in rebel lines, but 
they were as speedily closed, and the enraged foe with 
sudden dash threw liis gigantic force against our front, 
and for a moment our whole line seemed to waver, 
giving way a few yards. The suspense of this fearful 
moment was terrible to bear, for it seemed to portend 
defeat ; in another moment our artillery scattered grape 
and canister in appalling quantities upon the exasperated 
enemy, literally mowing them down with an enormous 
scythe. The fighting was terrific : old soldiers say it 
was never surpassed for desperation. 

Notwithstanding the terrible havoc in their ranks the 
enemy pressed fiercely on, slowly pushing the men of 
the Nineteenth Corps back up the hill, but not breaking 
their line of battle. A sudden and bold dash of the 
rebels on the right gave possession of Taylor's Battery, 
and forced our line still further back. Now came the 
grand coiip-dc-main. The Nineteenth, on arriving at 
the top of the hill, suddenly filed oft' over the hill, and 
passed to the left. 
8 



114 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

We must here mention that the rebels were now in 
but two lines of battle, the hrst having been almost 
annihilated by Gen. Emory, what remained being forced 
back into the second line. But these two lines came on 
exultant and sure of victory. The first passed over the 
knoll, and, all heedless of the long line of cannon and 
crouching forms of as brave men as ever trod mother 
earth, pressed on. The second line appeared on the 
crest, and the death signal was sounded. Words cannot 
describe the awful efledl of this discharge. Seven thou- 
sand rifles and several batteries of artillery, each gun 
loaded to the muzzle with grape and canister, were fired 
simultaneously, and the whole centre of the rebel line 
was crushed down as a field of ripe wheat through which 
a tornado had passed. It is estimated that one thousand 
men wei'e hurried into eternity, or frightfully mangled by 
this one discharge. 

Scarcely had the seething lead left the guns, when the 
word "Charge!" was given, and seven thousand brave 
men pi'ecipitated themselves upon the shattered ranks of 
the enemy. Emory's Division, which had only yielded 
to superior numbers, and remained unbroken, now 
rushed forward and joined the Sixteenth Corps, driving 
the rebels rapidly down the hill to the woods, where 
they broke and fled in the greatest confusion and dis- 
may. Col. Benedict, while gallantly leading his brigade 
in the charge, fell dead, pierced by five balls. The 
battle was fought, and the victory won. 

Our troops followed up the rebels until night put an 
end to the pursuit. In the last charge we recaptured 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 115 



Taylor's Battery, which had been lost in the earlier part 
of the action, and retook two guns of Nims' Battery, 
which had been lost in the battle of the preceding day. 
The ten-pound Parrott gun which the rebels captured at 
Carrion Crow was also retaken. Five hundred prisoners, 
all the dead and wounded, three battle standards, and a 
large number of small arms, fell into our hands. 

Our victorious army slept upon the battlefield, which 
was one of the bloodiest of Louisiana. Early the next 
morning, our line of march was taken up to Grand 
Ecore to obtain rest and rations, the army being too 
much fatigued by the three days' fighting and severe 
marching it had undergone, to attempt pursuit of the 
enemy. 

This battle was one of the best appointed and delivered 
of the war. It reflects much credit upon the head of the 
Army of the Gulf, and is equally honorable to all who 
were engaged in it. Gen. Banks was present from the 
beginning to the close of the engagement, and rode over 
the field through showers of bullets, personally dire6ting 
the movements of the troops. Gen. Banks' staft' ably 
assisted him, freely sharing the danger with their chief, 
and behaving throughout the action with the greatest 
gallantry. Gen. Franklin and staff" were iu the hottest 
of the fire. 

Of the soldiers who so bravely fought the battle, and 
achieved a splendid victory, it need only be said that the 
men of Maine, Missouri, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, 
New York, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana, sustained 
their reputation, standing shoulder to shoulder with the 



116 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

loyal Louisiana troops, and well may their States be 
proud to claim them as sons of their soil. The heroes 
of Vicksbiug and Port Hudson now added the name of 
Pleasant Hill to the list of their glorious victories. 

The cavalry division, except a part of Col. Lucas' 
Brigade, was not in the action on Saturday, the main 
body having been sent to convoy the wagon-trains to 
Grand Ecore. No part of the Thirteenth Army Corps 
was in the battle. 

In the battle of Friday the rebel Gen. Moulton was 
killed by the unerring rifles of the Nineteenth Kentucky. 
He received four balls in his body. The rebel Gen. 
Kirby Smith was in command of the troops in the battle 
at Pleasant Hill. 

The entire losses of the campaign thus far may be 
summed up as follows : Twenty pieces of artillery, 
fifteen hundred men in Gen. Ransom's Corps, six hun- 
dred men in Gen. Emory's Division, five hundred men 
in Gen. Smith's Sixteenth Army Corps, four hundred 
men in the cavalry division, one hundred and thirty 
cavalry division and brigade wagons, twelve hundred 
horses and mules, including the great number that died 
on the march across the Teche from disease. 

It was difficult to determine at that time what would 
be the result of this expedition. It would take some 
time to reorganize before an advance could be resumed. . 
The transports and gunboats were all above Grand 
Ecore. The rebels were very troublesome on the river 
above Grand Ecore. They succeeded in planting a 
battery between our fleet and this place. The gunboats 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 117 

shelled the woods all day, and perhaps dislodged them. 
The transports were almost constantly fired on from both 
sides of the river. Seventeen miles below here tlie 
rebels appeared on the east side of the river. The OJiio 
Bellc^ loaded with soldiers and qnartermasters' stores, in 
charge of Chief Clerk O'Neil of St. Lonis, was fired into 
at that point and two soldiers badly wounded. The fine 
passenger steamer, JMillie Stephens^ loaded with troops, 
was fired into at the same place, sixty shots taking efie6t. 
Six persons were wounded, and one killed. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The Navy in a Bad Way. — Ironclads vs. Infantry. — 
The Eastport Blown Up ivitJi a Ton of Pcvodcr 
after Six Days' Delay. — Bravery of Porter. — Safe 
Arrival at Alexandria. 



ON the arrival of the army at Grand Ecore, they 
immediately began building fortifications. A pon- 
toon bridge was thrown across the river, and two bat- 
teries, two brigades of infiintry, and a brigade of cavalry, 
crossed over and marched up on the other side of the 
river to the relief of the gunboats and transports under 
command of Admiral Porter, which had left Grand 
Ecore on the 7th to make their way up the rivers to 
Shreveport. They had reached as fiir as Springfield 
Landing when they were brought to a stop by the rebels 
sinking a very large steamer, the New Falls City., right 
across the river, her ends resting on each bank, and her 
hull broken in the middle, resting on the bottom. This 
was a serious obstruction to the navy, which would take 
some time to remove. The river was still falling, and 
in the mean time the following despatch was received by 
Gen. Banks : — 

Should you ffnd that the taking of Shreveport will occupy ten 
or fifteen days more time than Gen. Sherman gave his troops to 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 119 

be absent from their command, you will send them back at the 
time specified (forty dajs), even if it should lead to the abandon- 
ment of the expedition. 

(Signed) U. S. GRANT. 

As the navy had ah-eady delayed us so long, orders 
were therefore sent to the army, which was protecting 
the gunboats, to return to Grand Ecore. 

It would be difficult to describe the return passage of 
the fleet through this narrow and snaggy river. As long 
as our army could advance triumphantly it was not so 
bad, but they had every reason to suppose that this return 
would be interrupted in every way, and at every point, 
by the enemy's land forces, and they were not disap- 
pointed. They commenced on them from high banks, at 
a place called Coushatta, and kept up a fire of musketry 
whenever an opportunity was otlered tliem. By a proper 
distribution of the gunboats they had no trouble in driv- 
ing them away, though from the high banks they could 
fire on the decks almost with impunity. As the boats 
proceeded tlown the river they increased in numbers, 
and as the boats only made thirty miles a day they could 
cross from point to point, and be ready to meet them on 
their arrival below. On the left bank of the river Gen. 
Harrison, with nine hundred cavalry and four or five 
pieces of artillery, followed them down, annoying them. 

It was very fortunate that this General and his com- 
mand were severely handled by a gunboat a few weeks 
before, which made them careful about coming within 
range. 

On the evening of the 1 2th instant, the boats were 



120 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

attacked from the right bank of the river by a detach- 
ment of men of quite another character. They were a 
part of tlie army which two or three days previous had 
gained success over our army, and flushed with victory, 
or under the excitement of Hquors, they appeared sud- 
denly upon the right bank and fearlessly opened fire on 
the Osage (ironclad), Lieut. -Com. T. C. Selfridge, she 
being hard aground at the time, with a transport (the 
Black Hawk) along side of her towing her ott'. The 
rebels opened with tw^o thousand muskets, and soon 
drove every one out of the Black Hawk to the safe case- 
ments of the monitor. Lieut. Bache had just come from 
his vessel (the Lexington) ^ and fortunately was enabled 
to pull up to here again, keepiug close under the bank, 
while the Osage opened a destructive fire on these poor 
deluded wretches, who, maddened with liquor, and led 
on by their officers, were vainly attempting to capture an 
iron vessel. I am told that their hootings and ac^lions 
baffle description. 

Force after force seemed to be brought up to the edge 
of the bank, where they confronted the guns of the iron 
vessel, only to be cut down by grape-shot and canister. 
In the meantime, Lieut. Bache had reached his vessel, 
and widening the distance between him and the Osage, 
he opened a cross-fire on the infuriated rebels, who 
fought with such desperation and courage against certain 
destruction that could only be accounted for in one way, 
" Louisiana rum." 

This aflair lasted nearly two hours before the. rebels 
fled. They brought up two pieces af artillery, one of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 121 

which was quickly knocked over by the Lexhigtori's 
guns, the other they carried oft". The cross-fire of the 
Lexington finally decided this curious aftair of a fight 
between infantry and gunboats. The rebels were mowed 
down by his canister, and finally retreated in as great 
haste as they had come to the attack, leaving the space 
of a mile covered with the dead and wounded, muskets 
and knapsacks. Gen. Green was in command of tliese 
forces, and was killed. Night coming on, the fieet was 
troubled no more with guerilla fighting. The next 
morning, 13th inst., the fleet arrived rt Compte. Six 
miles from Grand Ecore the fleet all got aground, and 
here was another delay. The troops which Gen. Banks 
had sent up on the other side of the river arrived at this 
time, and with pulling and hauling the fleet floated to 
Grand Ecore, under the escort of the Nineteenth Army 
Corps. The fleet was still in a bad predicament ; there 
was no rise in the river. The gunboat Eastport^ after 
getting over the bar at Grand Ecore, sank, eight miles 
below. 

The great trouble with the fleet was a lack of pilots 
who understood the Red River, as the vessels were con- 
stantly running aground. Col. Bailey oflered to construct 
dams and float them down to Alexandria. As the navy 
was an independent auxiliary, they did not wish any 
assistance from the army in navigation, so his services 
were declined. But they were very glad to accept of his 
proposition when they arrived at Alexandria. On ex- 
amination it was determined to save the Eastport^ if 
possible, and finally, on the 3ist of April, she started in 



122 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

tow of the pump-boat, Champion^ No. 5, and with the 
pump of Champiotz^ No. 3, transferred to the Eastport^ 
and connected with her boilers. This arrangement kept 
the water out of the fire-room, and confined it to the 
bow. The transports followed, a gunboat bringing up 
the rear, towing a flatboat on which were all of the 
Eastpori' s guns. 

On the first day the Eastport made twenty miles down 
the river, but at 6 o'clock in the evening, she grounded 
from not being in the channel, and the first of our diffi- 
culties commenced in getting her over the bars and 
other obstrud:ions which abound in this river. She had 
grounded eight times badly, and each time under cir- 
cumstances where it was very doubtful if she would 
come oft'. The men worked with almost superhuman 
eftbrts to save the Eastport^ sleeping apparently neitlier 
night or day. On the sixth day everything looked hope- 
ful. Sixty miles had already been made, when bang! the 
Eastport went into another sandbar ; another effort was 
made to float her, but it was no use, they only succeeded 
in getting her in a worse position. At the same time a 
gang of guerillas made appearance on the right bank and 
opened fire. The vessel was lying tied to the bank. 
They made a rush to board the Cricket. They were 
driven oft\ and the Cricket dropped out into the stream 
and opened on them with grape and canister, and with a 
heavy cross-fire from the other vessels they were driven 
oft; 

The Eastport was in a position right across the chan- 
nel, with a bed of logs under her. From that position 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 123 

no human power could move her. If she had been 
destroyed at Grand Ecore, it would have saved the loss 
of a great many lives. The fleet would have kept along 
with the army, and would have had no trouble with 
guerillas. Six days and nights had already been used up 
in trying to save her, but to no purpose, and at last the 
order was given to destroy her. One ton of powder was 
placed in her in various positions, she was filled with 
such combustibles as they could procure, and at i .4"^ 
P.M., April 26th, the Eastport was blown up, Lieut. - 
Com. Phelps applying the match, and being the last one 
to leave the vessel. He had barely time to reach the 
boat when the Eastport blew up, covering the boat with 
fragments of wood. Seven ditlerent explosions followed, 
and then the flames burst forth in every direction. The 
vessel was completely destroyed — as perfect a wreck as 
ever was made by powder. All stores, etc., were re- 
moved, and such parts of the machinery as could be 
made available by the rebels^ There was nothing but 
the iron plates left behind, which finally fell inside the 
hull. 

The Eastport was blown up, and they proceeded 
down the river. They were not molested until they had 
gone about twenty miles, at a point above Cane River. 
When rounding the point, the vessels in close order and 
ready for a(5lion, they descried a party of the enemy, 
with artillery, on the right bank, and they immediately 
opened fire with their bow guns. The enemy immedi- 
ately returned it with a large number of cannon, nine 
pieces in all, every shot of which struck this vessel. 



124 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

The Captain, H. H. Goninge, gave orders to stop the 
engines, for the purpose of fighting the battery, and 
covering the boats astern. 

Admiral Porter corrected this mistake, and got head- 
way on the vessel again, l)ut not soon enough to avoid 
the pelting shower of shot and shell which the enemy 
poured into them, every shot going through and through 
them, clearing all our decks in a moment. Finding the 
guns not firing rapidly the Admiral stepped on the gun- 
deck to see what was the matter. As he stepped down, 
the after gun was struck with a shell and disabled, and 
every man at the gun killed and wounded. At the same 
moment the crew from the forward gun were swept 
away by a shell exploding, and the men were wounded 
in the fire-room, leaving only one man to fire up. 

The Admiral made up a crew from the contrabands, 
who fought the gun to the last moment. Finding that 
the engine did not move, he went into the engine-room 
and found the engineer killed, whose j^lace was soon 
supplied by an assistant. He then went to the pilot- 
house and found that a shot had gone through it and 
wounded one of the pilots ; he took charge of the vessel, 
and as the battery was a very heavy one, he determined 
to pass it, which was done. They let us drift down 
around the point and shelled tlie enemy's batteries in 
the rear. This enabled the jfiilict and pump-boat 
Cha7npio7i^ lashed together, to escape from under the 
bank. 

The Admiral started down a few miles below where 
he had ordered the ironclads to be ready to meet him in 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 125 

a case of emergency. He ran ashore a short time after 
passing the batteries, and had to remain there three or 
four hours. It was after dark when lie reached the iron- 
chxds, where lie found the Osage lying opposite a field- 
battery of the enemy, which they had been shelling 
through the day. As the firing had ceased above, hopes 
were entertained that the Hhidman had silenced the 
batteries. In five minutes the Cricket was struck thirty- 
eight times with shot and shell, with a loss of twenty- 
five men killed and wounded ; the jfulici^ with fifteen 
killed and wounded ; the Hindnian lost three killed, five 
wounded. The firing of the gunboats was so heavy that 
the rebels withdrew, when the fleet continued on its way 
to Alexandria, and was safe once more under the pro- 
tection of the army. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Grand Ecoi-c Evacuated . — Foi'ccd starch of Forty 
Elites. — Battle of Cane River. — Flanking Gen. 
Emory's Position. — Tlie Arrival of the Union 
Army at Alexa?tdria. 



THE army marched from Grand Ecorc on the even- 
ing of the 2 1st of April, having been detained there 
l)y the condition of the navy, ten days, and to prevent 
the occupation of Mouet's Bhifl", on Cane River, a strong- 
position commanding the only road leading across the 
river to Alexandria, or to prevent the concentration of 
the enemy's forces at that point. If it was in their pos- 
session, it was necessary to accomplish the evacuation 
without their knowledge, and to prevent their strength- 
ening the natural defences of the position, by the rapidity 
of our march. We partially frustrated the first object, 
but tlie second was fully accomplished. 

About eight thousand men and sixteen guns, under 
commantl of Gen. Bee, were found in possession of the 
blurt" on the opposite side of the river, wdio w^ere evidently 
surprised at the unexpedled presence of our army, but 
ready to dispute our only passage to x^lexantlria. At 
davbreak one division of the Nineteenth and Thirteenth 
Corps each, the cavalry commanded by Gen. Arnold, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH HANKS. 127 

and the artillery by Capt. Classon, the whole under com- 
niantl of Gen. W. H. Emory, were ordered forward to 
the river for the purpose of forcing this position. The 
head of the infantry column, consisting of Gen. Emory's 
Division, marched at 4.30 a.m., preceded by the cavalry, 
under Gen. Arnold, Col. Gooding's Brigade leading. In 
less than three miles from Clenturville, the enemy's 
pickets were encountered. The cavalry was ordered to 
drive them in and press them until they ascertained the 
line of battle occupied by the enemy, which was very 
strong, and defended by two batteries of eight guns each, 
which crossed their fire on an open field, through which 
it was necessary to pass before we could reach the en- 
emy's position. The ground occupied by them, besides 
being covered with timbers, was about one hundred 
feet higher than that by which we were obliged to 
approach. 

The pickets of the enemy were encountered on the 
west side of the river and quickly driven across, but the 
main position was found to be too strong to be carried 
by direcft attack. A reconnoitering party imder Col. 
Baily of the Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers, was sent to 
ascertain the practicability of crossing the river below the 
ferry towards Red Ri\er, on the morning of the 23d. 
They reported that the river was not fordable below the 
ferry, and that owing to the impassable swamps on one 
side, and the high blufis on the other, it would not be 
possible to cross Cane River at any point below the ferry. 
If we failed to dislodge the enemy at the ferry, the only 
alternative upon us was to attempt a crossing at the 



128 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

north side of Red River, an exceedingly difficult and 
dangerous movement. 

Capt. Classon, Chief of Artillery, was ordered to bring 
forward his artillery and batter the enemy's position, 
supported by Gen. McMillan, commanding two brigades 
of the First Division. Gen. Arnold was directed to send 
a brigade of cavalry over to our left, cross below and 
threaten the enemy's left flank and rear, with orders if 
Birge was successful, to pursue the enemy. 

The groimd over which Gen. Birge had to pass was 
exceedingly difficult, traversed by muddy bayous, high 
and sharp ridges, covered by dense growth of pine. His 
progress was necessarily very slow and tedious, and he 
ilid not get into position until late in the afternoon. 
While he was getting into position, the artillery was 
beautifully handled by Capt. Classon, who kept the 
enemy's attention fully occupied ; and at the moment the 
first rattle of Gen. Birge's musketry was heard, the bat- 
tery was placed in position directly in front of the cross- 
ing, and displayed lines of skirmishers as if preparing 
for an assault. The enemy made an attempt to cross the 
ri\cr and charge this battery, but was quickly repulsed 
by the One Hundred and Sixteenth New York, who 
were supporting it ; and Col. Chrisler, commanding 
Second New York Cavalry, dismounted as skirmishers, 
with great gallantry led his skirmishers on foot imme- 
diately, and took possession of the crossing. 

At 9 o'clock in the morning, troops under command 
of Gen. Birge, consisting of a detachment of the Third 
Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 129 

composed of the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts and the 
One Hundred and Twenty-eighth New York, and the 
Third Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, 
Col. Fessenden, commanding, and a division of the 
Thirteenth Corps, under Gen. Cameron, were ordered 
to ford the river three miles above the ferry and turn the 
left flank of the enemy, and carry the heights in the rear. 
The first troops to cross were the Thirty-eighth Massa- 
chusetts and the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth New 
York, followed by the rest of the command. Four com- 
panies of the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts, under com- 
mand of J. H. Wyman, were deployed as skirmishers ; 
six companies, under command of Col. Richardson, 
acting as support. Two companies of the One Hundred 
and Twenty-eighth New York weie thrown out as flank- 
ers, this command under Col. Smith. Following an old 
wagon road about one mile, we came in the rear of the 
enemy. 

Moving steadily forward through woods and across 
open fields, driving in the enemy's skirmishers, who 
obstinately contested every foot of ground over which we 
were obliged to pass, we crossed a narrow stream, skirm- 
ished up a thickly-wooded hill and down its descending 
slope until a rail fence was reached bounding a closed 
piece of ground, beyond which were high blufls, where 
the enemy wei^e strongly posted and kept up an incessant 
fire. A halt was made beyond this fence, while the 
reserve formed in the rear, and dismounted cavalry was 
sent into the woods on the right to reconnoitre. 

The order Forward ! soon came, and the Thirty- 

9 



130 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

eighth Massachusetts, still deployed, went over the fence 
and charged the hill, under heavy lire. Thanks to Gen. 
Birge, the regiment was not thrown forward unsupported. 
Emerging from the woods, the Thirtieth Maine, antl the 
One Hundred and Sixty-second and the One Hundred 
and Sixty-fifth New York, followed the skirmishers in a 
magnificent line of battle, charging across the open field 
and up the bluff, and after a short resistance the rebels 
retreated precipitately, leaving a portion of their dead 
and wounded on the ground. 

Re-forming the lines and being strongly reinforced, the 
column advanced through the woods to another opening, 
with a liill lieyond similar to the one just taken, and 
where it was expected the enemy would make a more 
stubborn resistance, but when the charge was made, no 
foe was found and the road to the river was clear. That 
night we encamped near the spot where we had crossed 
in the morning, and glad enough were the men to 
unsling their knapsacks, which they had carried all day, 
and gather around the camp fires to discuss the battle, 
while they ate their simple supper. Our loss in this 
most brilliant and successful affair was about two hun- 
dred killed and wounded. Among the killed was Capt. 
Julius Lathrope, Co. I, Thirty-eighth Massachusetts, 
a brave and efficient officer. 

As soon as the enemy was drawn off, a pontoon bridge 
was thrown across the river, and the wagon trains and 
batteries passed over. The Nineteenth and Thirteentli 
Corps had continued the march during the night ; the 
next morning the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth New 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 131 



York marched on, leaving the Thirty-eighth with the 
Sixteenth Corps, who had been engaged with the enemy, 
and who reached the crossing as the rear of the other 
corps left it. 

An immense numl)er of contrabands of all ages, sizes, 
and colors came in with Gen. Smith, laden down with 
bundles, hastily packed up as they deserted the planta- 
tion, and left old massa and missus U) hoe their own corn 
and bake their own hoecakes. Some were mounted on 
mules, some had rigged up old mule-carts and filled 
them with bags of clothes, iron pots and Ijabies. An 
artist would ha\e found many subjects worthy of his 
pencil in the quaint procession. One group impressed 
itself on my mind very vividly. A woman with an im- 
mense bundle on her head, was leading a mule with a 
rope halter, walking with as stately a tread as did ever 
Cleopatra. Astride of the mule were two little children, 
the foremost one holding on to a large bundle, the other 
clasping his companion's waist. The children were 
neatly dressed, the long fringe on their straw hats par- 
tially shading their faces. The complexion of the whole 
party told of other than African blood. 

The appearance of these contrabands reminded the 
spectator of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt ; for, 
like the ancient fugitives from slavery, these modern ones 
had evidently borrowed largely from their masters and 
mistresses, and many a gay parasol and lace mantle 
spoke of the mansion rather than the cabin. They wisely 
prepared, ho\ve\er, with such loads to accompany a 
retiring army closely pursued by its foes, and either by 



132 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

the advice or command of some wise officers, a sifting of 
tlieir effefts took place at the crossing, and a portion of 
their burdens was left behind. The Western boys rigged 
themselves in the cast oft" bonnets and gowns. They 
looked more like a masquerading paity than a retreating 
army as they filed across the pontoon. For some unex- 
plained reason the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts was 
detained to support a battery until the whole army had 
crossed the river and the pontoon was taken up, when 
the battery moved on and the regiment followed. 

Everything now in the rear was rebels, and the unfor- 
tunate soldier who fell out, had a fair chance of seeing 
Galveston, via Shreveport. The enemy followed, and 
had constant skirmishes with the cavalry, but the infantry 
was not again engaged, and after three days' hard march- 
ing, partly through the pine woods, we entered Alexan- 
dria on the afternoon of the 26th, and went into camp 
near the place from which it had started. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Colonel Bailey'' s Success in Damming Red River. — 
The Gunboats Saved by the Nineteenth Army Corps. 
Loss of the Covington. — A Break in the Dam. 



UPON our arrival at Alexandria, on tlie 3^th of 
April, Maj.-Gen. Hunt was waiting with des- 
patches from the Lieutenant-General commanding the 
armies, reaffirming instructions which were received at 
Grand Ecore relating to the operations of the army else- 
where, and to the necessity of bringing the Shrcveport 
campaign to an end without delay. The only possible 
means of executing the peremptory orders had already 
been taken. Gen. Hunt left on the 13th of April witli 
despatches to Gen. Grant, giving a report of the condition 
of affairs; that the fleet could not pass the rapids; that 
there was no course for the army but to remain for its 
protection ; that the enemy would concentrate all his 
forces at that point for the destruction of the fleet, and 
that it was necessary to concentrate our troops west of 
the Mississippi ; and the same point by which the navy 
could be relieved and the forces of the enemy destroyed. 
Maj.-Gen. McClernand, with the largest part of the 
forces from Matagorda Bay, which had been evacuated 



134 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

by order of Gen. Grant, dated March 31st, arrived at 
Alexandria on the evening of the 29th of April. 

From the difficulty which the supply transports have 
encountered in passing the falls, it was known at Grand 
Ecore, as early as April i5tli, that the navy could not go 
below, and the means of its release were fully discussed 
among officers of the army. During the campaign at 
Port Hudson the steamers Starlight and Red Chief 
were captured by Grierson's Illinois Cavalry, under 
command of Col. Prince, in Thompson's Creek. The 
bed of the creek was nearly dry, and the steamers were 
sunk several feet in the sand. After the capture of Port 
Hudson, Col. Bailey constructed wing dams, which, 
raising the water, lifted the steamers from the sand and 
floated them out of the creek into the Mississippi. 

This incident naturally suggested the same work at 
Alexandria for the relief of the fleet. A survey was 
ordered for the purpose of determining what measures 
could be best undertaken. The engineers of the army had 
completed surveys of the falls captured from the enemy 
during our occupation of Alexandria in 1863, at the 
commencement of the Port Hudson campaign. It was 
found upon examining these charts, and upon survey of 
the river, that the channel was narrow and crooked, 
formed in solid rock, and that it would be wholly 
impracticable to deepen its bed. It was therefore de- 
termined to commence the construction of a dam to raise 
the river to such a height as to enable the vessels to float 
over the falls. This project was freely discussed by 
engineers and officers of the army. When the sub- 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 135 

ject of building a dam was first spoken of to Admiral 
Porter by Banks, he said that he did not believe in it, 
for they had damned the river ever since they had been 
there, and the water had gone down lower and lower. 

Lieut. -Col. Baile}', acting engineer of the Nineteenth 
Army Corps, proposed a plan of building a series of 
dams across the rocks at the falls, and raising the water 
high enough to let the vessels pass over. This propo- 
sition looked like madness, and the best engineers ridi- 
culed it ; but Col. Bailey was so sanguine of success that 
the Admiral requested Gen. Banks to have it done, and 
he entered heartily into the work. Provision was short, 
and forage was almost out. The dam was promised to 
be finished in ten days. 

Gen. Banks placed at the disposal of Col. Bailey all 
the force he required, consisting of some three thousand 
men, and two or three hundred wagons. All the neigh- 
boring steam-mills were torn down for material, two or 
three regiments of Maine men were set at work felling 
trees, and on the second day after his arrival in Alex- 
andria, the work had fairly begun. Trees were felled 
with great rapidity, teams were moving in all direftions, 
bringing brick and stone, quarries were opened, flatboats 
were built to bring stone down from above, and every 
man seemed to be working with a vigor that was seldom 
equalled, while perhaps not one in fifty believed in the 
success of the undertaking. These falls are about a mile 
ill length, filled with rugged rocks, over which at that 
stage of water it seemed to be impossible to make a 
channel. The work was commenced by running out 



136 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

from the left bank of the river a tree dam, made of the 
bodies of very large trees, brush, brick and stone, cross- 
tied with other heavy timber, and strengthened in every 
way which ingenuity could devise. This was run out 
about three hundred feet into the river. Four large coal 
barges were then filled with brick and sunk at the end of 
it. From the right bank of the river, cribs, filled with 
stone, were built out to meet the barges; all of which 
was successfully accomplished, notwithstanding there 
was a current running of nine miles an hour, which 
threatened to sweep everything before it. It will take 
too much time to enter into the details of this truly won- 
derful work. Sufiice it to say, that the dam had nearly 
reached completion in eight days' working time, and the 
water had risen sufficiently on the upper falls to allow 
the F'ort Hhidinan^ Osage and Neasho^ to go down and 
be ready to pass the dam. In another day it would have 
been high enough to enable all the other vessels to joass 
the upper falls. 

While engaged in constru6ting the dam. Gen. McCler- 
nand had charge of the army that was stationed in the 
vicinity of Gen. Moore's plantation and Chanivil, but 
showed that lack of ability and military discipline wdiich 
Gen. Grant, in his book, gives him credit for. He 
allowed the rebel Gen. Folignac to pass entirely around 
his camp with about ten thousand men, which took up 
their position at Dunn Bayou, on the Red River, about 
thirty miles below Alexandria, planting a battery in 
l^osition. Until the 4th of May, communication with 
the Mississippi by the river was unobstructed. Lieut. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 137 

William Simpson left by the gunboat Signal with des- 
patches for Gen. Grant, Admiral Farragut, Gen. Sher- 
man and Gen. Rosecrans. The gunboat Covingtoii^ 
having in convoy the transport Warner^ accompanied 
the Signal. 

While passing Wilson's plantation, the Warner was 
fired into by about one hundred infantry, losing one 
man. She returned fire from her stern gun, and then 
passed on. After proceeding about one mile and a half 
farther, Mr. McClossy, a pilot belonging to the Ge?ieral 
Price, struck the stern of the vessel against a bar, there- 
by breaking the port rudder badly, and shivering the til- 
ler. He was told that, hereafter, Mr. Emerson, another 
pilot, would manage her. The Warner was tied up all 
night about a mile from the Red House, and commenced 
repairing the rudder. At about 5 o'clock, she was joined 
by the United States steamer Signal. Both kept up, 
through the night, an irregular fire on the right-hand 
shore going down, as they had fired upon the Warner 
with infantry while they were repairing. 

At 4.30 o'clock in the morning, they got under way, 
the Warner in the lead, Covington next, and the -^V^'- 
nal last. At Dunn's Bayou (on the right going down) 
they were fired upon by two pieces of artillery and infan- 
try. The Covington was hit by this battery only three 
times, and the Warner'' s rudders were disabled, but she 
still continued down stream until she came to a short 
point in the river, when she went into the bank. She 
had no sooner struck the bank when a rebel battery and 
from four to five thousand infantry opened fire on her. 



138 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

The Covington and Signal immediately commenced 
firing. Almost every shot either struck the boilers, 
steam-pipe or machinery of the Warner^ as she was 
only about one hundred yards from the battery. After 
they had engaged the battery about three hours, the 
Warner hoisted a white flag, the others still keeping 
up fire. A party from the Covingtotz was sent out to 
burn her, but the Colonel in charge sent word that there 
were nearly one hundred and twenty-five killed and 
wounded, and requested that she should not be burned, 
which was granted. A short time after, the Signal was 
disabled. 

The Covington immediately rounded to, and went 
alongside of her, took her in tow and started up stream ; 
but the rudders became disabled, and the Sigtial got 
adrift. It was impossible to pass the IVarncr. Know- 
ing that the Signal would drift down on the Warner, 
and the rebels could immediately board her, the order 
was given to anchor the Covington, which was done, 
she being made fast, head up stream. Her stern guns 
were used on the lower battery, and a broadside on the 
infantry on the other side ; her bow guns on a battery 
that was ahead, which had been brought down from 
Dunn's Bayou. The Covington's escape pipe was cut 
while alongside of the Signal, causing a great deal of 
steam to escape, making the impression that the boilers 
had been struck. The men, however, soon rallied, and 
kept up a brisk fire on the enemy. Most of the soldiers 
and ofticers, among whom were Col. Sharp, of the One 
Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York Volunteers; Col. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 139 

Rainor, One Hundred Twenty-eighth Illinois (wounded 
in both legs) ; Lieut. Simpson, Aide-de-Camp to Gen. 
Banks, and A6ting Assistant Paymaster Chester, went 
over on the Signal. The Sig-nal getting adrift, they 
were not able to return. 

After the Covington had been tied to the bank an hour 
or so, the steam-drum was cut, and a shell struck u ne'er 
the boilers letting out all the water. The ammunition 
gave out, the howitzers were disabled by the bracket- 
bolts drawing out, and every shot came through. With 
one officer, and a good many alreadv killed, it was de- 
termined to burn the Coving'ton. The guns were spiked, 
fire strewn on the deck, an officer set fire to the cutter, 
which was on the guard alongside of the engines, and 
she was destroyed. While they were leaving the vessel 
to get upon the bank, a terrible fire of infantry was 
opened on them ; some were killed. When the officers 
and men were all collected together it was found that 
there were nine officers and twenty-three men — a loss 
of five officers and thirty-nine men. They started through 
the woods for Alexandria at 10.30 o'clock. Wlien with- 
in ten miles of Alexandria they were fired upon by rebel 
cavalry, scattering them. 

The whole action lasted about five hours, and the 
Covington was badly riddled from stem to stern, there 
being no less than five shots in her hull, and some forty 
or fifty in her upper works. Acting Master's Mate Gross 
was killed by a shot that came through the shell room. 
The officers and men lost all of their personal efiec^s. 
The only thing that was saved was the signal-book and 



140 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

the despatches. Whilst these stirring events were taking 
place down the river the excitement at the dam was in- 
tense, as the work was approaching completeness. 

Unfortunately on the morning of the 9th instant the 
pressure of water became so great that it swept away 
two of the stone barges, which swung in below tlie dam 
on one side. Seeing this unfortunate accident tlie Lex- 
ington was ordered to pass the upper falls, if possible, 
and immediately attempt to go through the dam. The 
Lexittgtoft succeeded in getting over the upper falls just 
in time, the water rapidly falling as she was passing 
over. She then steered dire6lly for the opening in the 
dam, through which the water was rushing so furiously 
that it seemed as if nothing but destrudlion awaited her. 
Thousands of beating hearts looked on anxious for the 
result. The silence was so great as the Lcxhigton ap- 
proached the dam that a pin might almost be heard to 
fall. She entered the gap with a full head of steam on, 
pitched down the roaring torrent, made two or three 
spasmodic rolls, hung for a moment on the rocks below, 
and was then swept into deep water by the current, and 
rounded safely into the bank. Thirty thousand voices 
rose in one deafening cheer, and universal joy seemed to 
pervade the face of every man present. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

The Fleet Brought Safely Below the Rocks. — The 
Town of Alexandria on Fire. — The Army on the 
Move. — A Bridge of Twenty-six Boats Across the 
River. 



THE Ncasho followed next, all her hatches being 
battened down, and every precaution being- taken 
against accident. She did not fare as well as the Lex- 
ington^ her pilot having become frightened as he ap- 
proached the abyss, and stopped his engine, when she 
should have carried a full head of steam. The result 
was that for a moment her hull disappeared from sight 
under the water. Every one thought she was lost. She 
rose, however, swept along over the rocks with the cur- 
rent, and fortunately escaped with only one hole in her 
bottom, which was stopped in the course of an hour. 
The Hindnian and Osage both came through beautifully 
without touching a thing. The accident to the dam, in- 
stead of disheartening Col. Bailey, only induced him to 
renew his exertions after he had seen the success of get- 
ting four vessels through. 

The soldiers, seeing their labor of the last eight days 
swept away in a moment, cheerfully went to work to re- 
pair damages, being confident now that all the gunboats 



142 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

would be finally brought over. These men had been 
working for eight days and nights, vip to their necks in 
water in the broiling sun, cutting trees and wheeling 
bricks, and nothing but good humor prevailed among 
them. On the whole, it was very fortunate that the dam 
was carried away, as the two barges that were swept 
away from the centre swung around against some rocks 
on the left, and made a fine cushion for the vessels, and 
prevented them, as it afterwards appeared, from running 
on certain destruftion. 

The force of the vvater and the current being too great 
to construct a continuous dam of six hundred feet across 
the river in so short a time, Col. Bailey determined to 
leave a gap of fifty-five feet in the dam and build a series 
of wing dams on the upper falls. This was accomplished 
in three days' time, and on the nth instant, the Mound 
City, Carondelet and Pittsburg came over the upjDer 
falls, a good deal of labor having been expended in haul- 
ing them through, the channel being very crooked and 
scarcely wide enough for them. Next day the Ozark, 
Louisville, CJiillicotJie and two tugs also succeeded in 
crossing the upper falls. Immediately afterwards the 
Mound City, Carondelet and Pittsburg started in suc- 
cession to pass the dam, all their hatches battened down, 
and every precaution taken to prevent accident. 

The passage of these vessels was a most beautitul 
sight, only to be realized when seen. They passed over 
without an accident, except tlie unshipping of one or 
two rudders. This was witnessed by all the troops, and 
the vessels were heartily cheered when they passed over. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 143 



Next morninii^ at lo o'clock, the Lotiisville., Chillicothe^ 
Ozark aiul tvv(^ tu<i^s passed over without any accident, 
except the loss of a man, who was swept oti'the decks of 
one of the tugs. 

This was, without doiil)t, the best engineering feat 
ever performed. Under the best circumstances, a pri- 
vate company would not have completed this work under 
one year, and to an ordinary mind the whole thing would 
have appeared an utter impossibility. Leaving out his 
abilities as an engineer, he saved a valuable fleet, worth 
nearly $3,000,000. The highest honors bestowed on 
Col. Bailey could never repay for the service he rendered 
the country. If Gen. Banks had not come forward with 
his troops. Admiral Porter would have had to blow up 
his fleet. 

Gen. ]5anks deserves much credit for the manner in 
which he forwarded the enterprise, giving his whole 
attention to it night and day, scarcely sleeping while the 
work was going on, attending personally to seeing that 
all the requirements of Col. Bailey were complied with 
on the instant. I do not lielieve there ever was a case 
where such dithculties were overcome in so short a time, 
and without any preparation. 

The construt^tion of the dam was exclusively the work 
of the army. J^ut little aid or encouragement was ren- 
dered by officers of the navy, except by Lieut. A. R. 
Lanthorne, commanding the Mound City^ who assistetl 
in setting the cribs, and was always ready to answer the 
call of the officers charged with the constru(i:tion of the 
work. The soldiers labored zealously night and day, in 



144 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

and out of the water, from the ist to the 13th of May, 
inclusive, when the passage of the boats was completed. 

The following are the names of some of the officers : 
Lieut. -Col. Bailey, Afting Military Engineer, Nineteenth 
Army Corps, in charge of the work ; Lieut. -Col. Pearcall, 
Assistant ; Col. Dwight, Acting Assistant Inspeftor- 
General ; Lieut. -Col. W. B. Kinsey, One Hundred and 
Sixty-first New York Volunteers ; Lieut. -Col. Hubbard, 
Thirtieth Maine Volunteers ; Maj. Sawtelle, Provost 
Marshal, and Lieut. Williamson, Ordnance Officer. 

The names of some of the regiments employed, follow : 
Thirtieth Maine, commanded by Lieut. -Col. Emerson; 
One Hundred and Sixteenth New York, commanded by 
Col. George M. Love ; One Hundred and vSixty-first 
New York, commanded by Capt. Prentiss ; One Hun- 
dred and Thirty-third New York, commanded by Col. 
Currie. 

If the expedition was not as successful as was hoped 
for, it showed the indomitable spirit of Eastern and 
Western men to overcome obstacles, deemed by most 
people insurmountable. It presented a new feature ; 
nothing like it had ever been accomplished before. 

Preparations had been made for the movement of the 
army the evening after the passage of the boats below 
the dam on the 12th, and after all were below on the 
13th, orders were given for the march. Rumors were 
freely circulated throughout the camp at Alexandria, that 
upon evacuation the town would be burned. To prevent 
this destrudion of property, part of which belonged to 
loyal citizens, Gen. Grover, commanding the post, was 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 145 



ordered to provide for its occupation by an armed force 
until the ann\ had niarchetl tor Simmsport. The mea- 
sures taken were sulFicient to prevent a conflai^ration in 
tiie manner in wliich it had lieen anticipated. J>ut on 
the morning of e\acuation, while the army was in full 
possession of the town, a Hre broke out in a l)uilding on 
the levee, which had been occupied b)' refugees or sol- 
diers, in such a manner as to make it impossible to prevent 
a general conflagration. The ammunition and ordnance 
transports and the depot of ammunition on tlie levee, 
were within a few yards of the tire. The boats were 
floated into the river and the ammunition moved with all 
possil)le despatch. The trocjps laliored with alacrity and 
vigor to suppress the conflagration, but, owing to a high 
wind and the combustible material of the Iniildings, it 
was found im])ossil)le to limit its progress, and a con- 
siderable portion of the town was destroyed. 

This day the point was passed where the enemy had 
blockaded the river, and near their rifle-pits were foimd 
the remnants of the captured mails, the ground being- 
covered with the envelopes of the sixteen thousand letters 
that had fallen into their hands. The postage, not yet 
defaced, had been carefully torn ofl", as if the captors had 
a lurking suspicion that tiie portrait of Washington was 
of more intrinsic value than that of either of the Confed- 
erate chiefs. 

Although the enemy had abandoned their position on 
the river, they still continued to harrass the retreating- 
army, keeping the cavalry constantly skirmishing, and 
on the afternoon of the 15th, the firing became so rapid 
10 



146 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

that the army formed in Hnc of battle several times, 
with the expectation of an engagement. At sundown the 
musketry increased, accompanied by artillery, and tlie 
second division of the Nineteenth Army Corps went 
through the little town of Marksville on the double-quick 
to the assistance of the cavalry, who were reported to 
lia\e been severely handled. The enemv drew oil', how- 
ever, and the division bivouacked on an open plain l)e- 
yond the village. 

At daybreak the next morning our adxance encountered 
his cavalry on the prairie east of the town. lie fell l)ack 
with steady and sharp skirmishing across the prairie lo a 
belt of woods, which he occupied. Tiie enemv's jiosition 
covered three roads, diverging from JSlansura to the At- 
chafdaya. lie manifested a tletermination here to obsti- 
natel\- resist our passage. 

The engagement, which lasted several hours, was con- 
fined chiefly to the artillery until our trooj^s got possession 
of" tlie edge of the woods — first upon our left by Gen. 
Emor\', and subsequently on our right by (jcn. Smith, 
when he was driven from the field after a sharp and de- 
cisive light, with considerable loss. The i6th of May 
\ve reached Siminsport, on tlie Atcliafala\a. Ueiiig en- 
tirely destitute ol" any ordinary bridge material lor the 
passage of this river, about six luindied yards wide, a 
britlge was construc^ted of the steamers, uiuler direction 
of Lieut. -Col. Bailey. This work was not of the same 
magnitude, but was as important to tlie army as the dam 
at Alexandria was tf) the navv. It had the merit of being 
an entirely novel construction, lU) bridge of such magnj- 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 147 

tilde haviiij>- been construi^ted of similar materials. The 
bridge wa.s completed at i o'clock on the 19th of May. 
The vvaji^on train passed in the aiternoon, and the troops 
the next morning-, in better spirit and condition, as able 
and eager to meet the enemy as at any period of the 
campaign. 

Tlie command of Gen. A. J. Smith, w liich co\ ered 
the rear of the army dnring the construction of the bridge 
and the passage of the army, had a se\ ere engagement 
w ith the enemy under Polignac on the afternoon of the 
19th at ^'ello\v Ha\()u, which lasted sevxM'al hours. Our 
loss was about one bundled and fifty killed and woundetl ; 
that ot the enem\' much greater, besitles maii\ prisoners 
taken by our troops. Nt)w lei us see what the rebs 
thought of the expedition. 

" (ien. Taylor follow ed tlie enemy very \ igoronsly, cap- 
turing and destroying three gunboats and eight transports. 
He insisted that with Walker's, Parsons' and ChurehiH's 
Divisions, he could overwhelm IJanks, who was now at 
Alexandria assisting Porter, who was trying to get his 
gunl)oats over the falls. The infantrv in Arkansas was 
immediately put in motion, lo him as it seemed the 
encm\' migiit be compelled to abandon or destroy his 
fleet. I 'ntortunately for us he built a dam across Red 
River, by the aid of w hich, together with a slight rise, 
he succeeded in getting all his boats otri)elore our troops 
arrived in force. Gen. Taylor had tlirown his forces all 
around the place, and had entirely cut ofl' communication 
with the river below. There was some severe skirmish- 
ing l)etween the enemy and our cavalry, but tiie latter 



118 CAMPAIGNING Wri'H I5ANKS. 

were ahvavs compelled to retire when the enemy came 
out in lieavv force. It was in tlie ii\er, near Fort 
De Kussv, that our cavalry captureil the <^uiil)oats. The 
Jiastport^ one of the finest ironclads in the Western 
waters, was sunk hy the enemy about hft\ miles above 
Alexandria, where she had gotten fast a<^roiuid. While 
they were at Alexandria our boats went constantly down 
as far as Cotile, carryinjj," subsistence and tora<^e. 

The \'ank showed less enterprise than usual, on ac- 
count ol" the dissatisfaction which wc understood to exist 
between the diiVerent Generals. Once or twice while 
the\- were at Alexandria, the position of our forces was 
such, that by a sure and comparatively safe movement of 
ten thousand men he might have ensured beyond perad- 
venture capture of Polignac's Division. They must have 
been in tlie main aware of the position antl strength of 
our forces. Along with the hope of accomplishing his 
main purpose, he seems to have given up all desire to 
accjuit Iiimself with any credit. The Yaid<ees left Alex- 
andria about the 14th of May, after burning about two- 
tiiirds of tlie town. The gunl)oats took oH'some of tlieir 
armor to lighten them, and ten or twelve hea\v guns 
were l)urst on the river bank. Gen. Taylor fought them 
at Moreausville three or four hours, and then drew oil' his 
force, which was betwx*en them and Simmsport. Fol- 
lowing up this retreat, he received a severe repulse at 
Yellow Bayou, six miles from Simmsport." 



C i1 A P T E R X X . 

A Reviczv of the Canipaioii. — Cause and Eff'ccts. — 
Insiibordijiatiou of Officers. — fcalousy and Conf/cf- 
f'fii^- AiitJiority. — General Jianks Credited ivith 
Great JJravery and Honesty. — 77ie ylrmy and Gun- 
boats Separate. — Farewell to Mississippi. — The 
N^inetectith Corps at Was/iinj^ton. 



THE forces dcsignatetl lor this cnmpni^n niiml)crc(l 
forty-two huiKlred men. Less than half that num- 
bar were at^tually availal)le for service as^ainst the enemy 
* durinj^ its progress. The (hstance which separated Gen. 
Steele's command from tlie line of our operations (nearly 
two hundred miles) rendered his movements of little 
moment to us or to the enemy, and reduced the strength 
of the fighting column to tlie extent of his force, which 
was expected to be from ten to tifteen thousand men. 

The depot at Alexantlria, made necessary l)y the im- 
practicable navigation, withdrew from our forces three 
thousand under Gen. (iiover. The rctmii of the Marine 
Brigade to the defence of the Mississippi, upon the de- 
mand of Maj.-Gen. McPhersoa, and which could not 
pass Alexandria without its steamers, nor move by land 
for want of land transportation, made a further reduction 
of three thousand men. 



ir>0 CAMPAIGNING WlfH BANKS. 

The protection of tlie fleet of transports against the 
enemy on both sides of tlie river made it necessary for 
Gen. A. J. Smith to detach Gen. T. Kilby Smith's 
Division of twenty-five liundred men from the main body 
for that duty. The army train required a guard of five 
liundred men. These several detachments, which it was 
impossible to avoid, and the distance of Gen. Steele's 
command reduced the number of troops that we were 
able at any point to bring into action from forty-two to 
about twenty thousand men. 

The losses sustained in the very severe battles of the 
yth, Sth and 9th of April, amounted to about thirty- nine 
hundred and sixtv-nine men, and necessarily reduced our 
active forces to that extent. The enemy, superior to us 
in numbers in the outset, by falling back was able to 
recover from his great losses by means of re-enforce- 
ments, which were within his reach as he approached ' 
his base of operations, while we were growing weaker 
as we departed from ours. We had fought the battle at 
Pleasant Hill with about fifteen thousand against twenty- 
two thousand men, and won a victory which for these 
reasons we were unable to follow up. 

It was never understood that an expedition tiiat in- 
volved a land march of nearly four hundred miles into 
the enemy's country, and which terminated at a point 
one might not be able to hold, either on account of the 
strength of the enemy or the difficulties of obtaining sup- 
plies, was to be limited to thirty days. The condition of 
our forces, and the distance and difficulties attending a 
farther advance into the enemy's country after the battles 



CAMPAIGNING WiTit BANKS. 151 

of the Sth and 9th, against an enemy superior in numbers 
to our own, rendered it probable that we could not 
occupy Shreveport within the time specified, and certain 
that without a rise in the river, troops necessary to 
hold it against the enemy would be compelled to evacu- 
ate it for want of supplies, and impossible that the expe- 
dition should return in any event to New Orleans in time 
to co-operate in the general movement of the army con- 
templated for the spring campaign. Under the general 
prize law, the naval authorities, upon their arrival at 
Alexandria, commenced the capture of cotton on both 
sides of the river, extending their operations from six to 
ten miles into the interior. Wagon trains were organized, 
cotton gins were put in operation, and the business fol- 
lowed up with great vigor. While the fleet lay at Alex- 
andria scyne difficulty occurred with the marines, who 
insisted upon their right to pass the lines of the army, 
which was terminated by the advance of the army and 
navy to Grand Ecore. 

The army did not enter into competition with the navy 
in the capture of this property. In order to remove all 
the products of the country which might under any 
circumstances be used to aid the rebellion against the gov- 
ernment. Gen. Grover, in command of tlie port of Alex- 
andria, anil the Qiiartermaster of the Port, upon the 
departure of the army from Alexandria, were directed to 
collect such property as should remain there after its 
departure, and transmit it to the Qiiartermaster at New 
Orleans, who was instrut'^ted to turn it over to the officers 
of the Treasury, to be disposed of according to the orders 



1;')2 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

of the government and the laws of Congress. Notice 
was also given to the Supervising Agent of the Treasury 
at New Orleans that no trade would be allowed with 
that portion of the State until it should be completely 
and permanently occupied by the army. No person was 
allowed to accompany the army upon this expedition as 
reporter, or for any other purpose without distinft and 
written declaration that no trade by private parties or for 
personal purposes would be permitted under any circum- 
stances, and that no property on private account would 
be transported on public or private vessels to New Or- 
leans ; but that all property sent to New Orleans would 
be consigned to the Chief Qiiartermaster, and by him 
turned over to the Treasury Agent, and held subject to 
such claims and orders as should be approved by the 
Government at Washington. 

Previous to our departure from New Orleans, the Chief 
Qiiartermaster, Col. S. B. Holabird, had been instruded 
thrt no privileges would be given to any party whatever, 
under any circumstances, to trade in or dispose of, or to 
transport private property ; that all property that came 
down from that country, so far as the army was con- 
cerned, would be turned over to him, and by him to the 
proper Treasury officers. The same information was 
given to the Treasury Agent. No permission was given 
to any person to accompany the army, except upon these 
express conditions, and then only to persons whose pub- 
lic position seemed to be a full guarantee against abuse 
of the privilege ; and when requests could not properly 
be refused, they were given to reporters of the public 



CAMPAIGNING VVlTlt BANKS. 153 

press, and to prominent officers of States whose troops 
were in the field. 

Upon representation made by officers of the Treasury 
Department at Alexanchia, that there would be difficulty 
in receiving such property, except under the Treasury 
regulations of the 36th of January, 1S64 ; these regu- 
lations were officially promulgated for that purpose at 
Alexandria and at New Orleans. These orders were 
strictly enforced by all officers connected with or repre- 
senting the army. There was no permission whatever 
given to any person to trade or dispose of or transport 
private property ; no privilege of this kind was recog- 
nized under any circumstances. Every dollar's worth of 
property that came into the hands of tlie army during 
this campaign was either appropriated to its uf^c in kind 
by the proper officers of tlie Commissary and Qiiarter- 
master's Departments, receipts being given therefor, or 
transmitted to the Chief Qiiartermaster at New Orleans, 
and by him turned over to the Treasury Agents to be 
disposed of according to the laws of Congress and the 
orders of the Government. When cotton or other jDrop- 
erty interfered with the transportation of any material of 
the army, or of refugees, negroes, or troops upon the 
evacuation of the country, it was thrown from the boats 
and abandoned upon the river levee to the enemy. 

The statement is as comprehensive on this subject as 
language can make it, and covered all possible methods, 
dire(^l or indirect, by which officers or citizens, public 
or private parties, or any person whatever, could evade 
or violate these orders on the rivers or at New Orleans, or 



l54 CAMPAIGNING WITH ftANkSi 

appropriate by any means public or private property to 
private uses or personal advantages, to deprive the gov- 
ernment or individuals of any property which by any 
interpretation of military orders as public laws could be 
considered as belonging justly and properly to them. 
Gen. Grover, commanding the post ; Col. S. B. Hola- 
bird, Chief Qiiartermaster at New Orleans ; and Hon. 
B. F. Flanders, Supervising Special Agent Treasury 
Department, accounted to the govenmient for public or 
private property that came into their hands during that 
campaign. 

The first difficulty encountered in this campaign was 
in the navigation of the rivers. Sixteen days' delay 
caused by the inability of the fleet to pass the rapids at 
Alexandria, and three days' delay at Grand Ecore in 
waiting the rise of the rivers, enabled the enemy to con- 
centrate his forces, and rendered futile that movement by 
the army which the success of the expedition demanded. 
Eight days of the delay at Alexandria would have been 
attributable to the tardy organization of Franklin's com- 
mand, but the fleet was unable to pass the falls until 
eight days after his arrival at Alexandria. This delay 
was doubtless owing to the impracticable navigation of 
the rivers ; but it is not improper to say that the forecast 
and diligence which are enforced upon all men in the 
daily aflairs of life would have forbidden an attempt to 
force a fleet of so much importance to the free navigation 
of the Mississippi to a point from which it could never 
hope to escape, except upon the theory that the river 
oueht to or miofht rise. 



CAMl^AlGNlNO ^VITII ilANivS. l5f) 

The co-operation of the navy was an indispensable 
condition and basis of the expedition. Maj.-Gen. Hal- 
leck informed Gen. Banks, January nth, that he had 
been assured by the Navy Department that Admiral Por- 
ter would be prepared to co-operate with the army in its 
movements, and the Admiral himself informed Gen. 
Banks, February 26th, that he was prepared to ascend 
Red River with a large fleet of gunboats, and to co- 
operate with the army at any time when the water was 
high enough. The fleet was as necessary to the cam- 
paign as the army. It would have been better to have 
taken eight or ten light-draught gunboats, than to have 
forced twenty ironclads four hundred and ninety miles 
up a river proverbially as treacherous as the rebels who 
defended it, and which had given notice of its character 
by steadily falling, when, as the Admiral reported, all 
other rivers were booming. 

The column of Gen. A. J. Smith was a partially inde- 
pendent command. Gen. Sherman, in his despatch of 
the loth of April, received the i6th, informed Gen. 
Banks that the thirty days for which he had loaned him 
Gen. Smith's command would expire on tlie loth of 
April, the day after the battle of Pleasant PI ill. Gen. 
Smith's instructions, which he showed, required him to 
confer constantly with Admiral Porter, the approved 
friend of the Army of the Tennessee. His orders were 
dated Headquarters Red River Expedition, steamer 
Clara Bell. He never declined co-operation with (jen. 
Banks, nor did he receive orders from him. He made 
no official report of his forces or their operations. Pie 



156 CAMPAIGNING WITH RANkS. 

was in no wise responsible for the results of the expedi- 
tion, and may, perhaps, be said to have gained as much 
by its failure as he would by its success. When his thirty 
days were up, he claimed the right at Grand Ecore to 
return to Vicksburg, irrespective of the condition of tiie 
army or the fleet, and did not consider himself at all re- 
sponsible for the inevitable consequences of his with- 
drawal to the army or the navy, nor for that detention 
which their preservation demanded. That responsiblity 
Gen. Banks was called upon to assume in written orders. 
No doubt his official course was entirely consistent with 
his orders. 

Gen. Mower of the Sixteenth and Gen. T. Kilby 
Smith of the Seventeenth Army Corps made earnest ef- 
forts to infuse into the different corps that unity of spirit 
which is as essential to victory as the valor of the soldiers 
in actual battle. The results of the position of the cav- 
alry train, and the loose order of march by the leading 
column of troops under Maj.-Gen. Franklin on the Sth 
of April, before the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads, have 
been stated. A commanding officer is, of course, re- 
sponsible for all that occurs to his command, whatever 
may have been the cause. 

lu reviewing this wonderful campaign, the reader will 
see that there was a great conflict of authority, a kind of 
go-as-you-please. The four different army corps were 
always at a discord, a great deal of jealousy existing 
amongst the officers and men. When the Nineteenth 
Corps were not quarreling, the Thirteenth were. The 
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps, composed of Western 



CAMPAlGiNING WITH fiANKS. l."»7 



troops, were claiming superiority to the Eastern troops ; 
the regular organized cavalry were continually finding- 
fault with moimted infantry ; and the navy, from the ad- 
miral to the cabin boy, was always on a rampage. The 
array of talent in command of the army, Gen. Banks at 
the head, with Gen. Franklin, sent out from the Army of 
the Potomac to get rid of him, and Gen. McClernand, 
who was always doing as he pleased, made a beautiful 
banquet team, but no love feast, as each and all of the 
commanilers considered themselves superior to all other 
officers in their immediate vicinity. I shoidd do jus- 
tice to Gen. Banks by saying that with the rank and 
file, no word of complaint was ever uttered. He did 
his duty the best he could with the material that was 
furnished him, m the shape of insubordinate officers. 
He came out of the army with a record for bravery and 
honesty which none will deny. 

At the junction of the Atchafalaya and the Red 
Rivers, the main army and gunboats sc2:)arated. The 
sun was setting as the long procession of river-boats, 
gunboats and monitors swept around the bend of the 
river, and a feeling of loneliness fell on the army as it 
turned inland, and took the course for the Mississippi. 
At midnight the army went into camp, and the following 
day reached the banks of the Mississippi at Morganza 
Bend. 

On the morning of the 30th, the Third Brigade of the 
Second Division, Nineteenth Corps, and a portion of 
the Thirteenth Corps, with cavalry and artillery, left the 
camp, and took the road to the Atchafalava, The col- 



158 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 

umn marclied until lo o'clock, a.m., then halted during 
the heat of the day. Started again at 8. p.m. Suddenly 
from a thickly-wooded hill on the left, aci'oss a bayou, a 
volley of musketry broke upon the stillness of the night, 
taking effect on the Twenty-second Iowa, in advance of 
the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts. Ambushed ! was the 
thought of ail, as the ranks closed up and formed in line 
of battle in good order. A battery sent a shell into the 
woods from whence the volley came ; a second volley 
was fired from the rebs. The echo had not died away 
when a sheet of flame flashed along the line of the One 
Hundred and Fifty-sixth, and One Hundred and Seven- 
ty-fifth, followed by a crashing report. One officer in 
the Twenty-second Iowa was killed, and several men iu 
the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth and One Hundretl and 
Seventy-fifth New York wounded by the Hre of tlie guer- 
illas ; and it was reported that a number of the enemy 
had been killed by the heavy volley of the latter regiments. 

The next day, June ist, the expedition again marched 
towards the Atchafalaya and remained in reserve a short 
distance from that river, while the vSeventh Massachu- 
setts Battery shelled a sawmill on tlie opposite side, 
which the rebs were rimning, destroying llie machinery. 
Another niglit was spent in the vicinity, and on the 
morning of tiie zd tlie command marched back to canij), 
glad that the " sawmill" expedition was over. 

From tliis time until the ist of July, about all the 
volunteer labor performed by the men consisted in writ- 
ing the two words, " very hot." On the 3d of July the 
brigade was increased, by the addition of the One Hun- 



CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 159 



dred and Seventy-fifth New York, embarked on board 
of the City of Me?i/p///s, aiul the next day, July 4th, the 
entire Nineteenth Corps landed at Algiers, antl went into 
camp, where they remained until the 3oth of July, when 
the Nineteenth Corps embarked on transports, and bid- 
ding good-bye to the Mississippi, was once more on the 
blue waters. 

On the eighth day, after crossing the bar off the Alis- 
sissippi, the fleet reached Fortress Monroe. Entering 
the Potomac, the men realized that they were no longer 
on Louisiana waters ; the hills stretching up from the 
river, the hay and the grain fields just reaped, and the 
scattering farm-houses being in striking contrast to the 
low banks of the Mississippi, with its plantations, its 
negro cabins, its orange trees, and its alligators. We 
landed at Washington. The arrival was most timely, as 
Washington was in danger. And as the sunburnt faces, 
battered flags and faded uniform of the veterans of the 
Nineteenth Corps marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, 
a feeling of confidence was restored, and the citizens felt 
safe, knowing that the veterans of two years' service was 
with them. 

We marched through to Georgetown Heights. All 
summer the troops in Louisiana had been obliged to 
drink warm, dirty water from rivers, bayous, and mud- 
holes; and when upon arriving at Georgetown Heights, 
the cool, delicious springs were found bubbling out of 
the rocks, the satisfaction was unbounded, and many 
men lingered around them as if attracted by some fairy 
spell. The stay in Georgetown was a short one. On 



160 CAMPAIGNING WITH BANKS. 



Sunday afternoon, July 31st, we broke camp and again 
marched through Washhigton to the Baltimore Depot, 
boarded the cars about eight o'clock, and reached Mo- 
nocacy Junction a little before noon the next day, going 
into camp in a reaped grain field in the vicinity of the 
battlefield of Monocacy, where the first division of the 
Nineteenth Cor^os was then in camp. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



C H A P T E R XXI. 

Under Sheridan. — Prcliniinary Mana'uvrcs. — The 
Shenandoah I 'alley Campaign. 



ON the eveiiini^ of August ist, (jcm. .Shcriclau was re- 
lieved tVoin the comniaiid of tlie cavahy corps of 
the Army of the Potomac to take commaiul of the Army 
of the Shenandoah, antl on his arriving at Washington on 
the 4th, he received direcJ-tions from Maj.-Gen. II. W. 
Halleck, Chief of the Start*, to proceed without delay to 
Monocacy Junction on the Baltimore & Oiiio Radroad, 
and report in person to the Lieutenant-General, who 
gave him the instru(5tions which he had previously given 
to Maj.-Gen. Hunter, commanding the Department of 
West Virginia. 

The Army of the Shenandoah at this time consisted 
of the Sixth Corps, very much reduced in numbers, one 
division of the Nineteenth Corps, two small infantry 
divisions imder command of Gen. Crook, afterwards 
designated as the Army of West Virginia, a small 
II 



162 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

division of cavalry under Gen. Averill, which was at 
that time in pursuit of Gen. McCausland, near Moor- 
field, McCausland having made a raid into Pennsyl- 
vania and burned the town of Chambersburg. There 
was also one small division of cavalry then arriving at 
Washington. The infantry portion of these troops had 
been lying in bivouac in the vicinity of Monocacy Junc- 
tion and Frederick City, but had been ordered to march 
and to concentrate at Halltovvn, four miles in front of 
Harper's Ferry. Gen. Sheridan hastened to Harper's 
Ferry to make preparations for an immediate atlvance 
against the enemy, who then occupied ISlartinsburg, 
Williamsport and Shepardstown, sending occasional 
raiding parties as far as Hagerstown. 

The concentration of the forces at Halltovvn alarmed 
the enemy, and caused him to concentrate at or near 
Martinsburg, drawing in all his parties from the north 
side of the Potomac. The indications were that he had 
intended another raid into Maryland, prompted perhaps, 
by the slight success they had gained over Gen. Crook's 
command at Kernstown a short time before. The city 
of Martinsburg, at which the enemy concentrated, is on 
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, at the northern terminus 
of the Valley pike, a broad macadamized road running 
up the valley through Winchester, and terminating at 
Staunton. 

The Shenandoah Valley is a continuation of the Cum- 
berland Valley, south of the Potomac, and is bounded on 
the east by the Blue Ridge, and on the west by the 
eastern slope of the Alleghany Mountains, the general 



CAMI'AICNlNCi Willi SHERIDAN. 16;5 

diredlion of this chain being soutliwest. The valley at 
Martinsburg is about sixty miles broad, at Winchester 
forty to forty-Hve, and at Strasburg twenty to twenty- 
tive miles, where an isolated chain, called Massanutten 
Mountains, rises up, running parallel to the Blue Ritlge, 
and terminates at Harrisburg. Here the valley again 
opens out fifty or sixty miles broad. This isolated chain 
divides the vallev, for its continuance into the valleys, 
the one next the Blue Ridge being calletl the Liuay Val- 
lev, the one west of it the Strasburg or main valley. 
The Blue Ridge has many passes tlnough it called gaps; 
the principal ones, and those which have good wagon 
roads, are Snicker's, Ashby's, Manassas, Chester, Swift 
Run, Brown's, Rock Fish, aiul three or four others. 
Many have macadamized rcjads through them, aiul in- 
deed are not gaps, but small valleys through the main 
chain. The general bearing of all these roads is towards 
Gordonsville, and are excellent for troops to move up on 
from that point into the valley ; in fact, the Blue Ridge 
can be crossed almost anywhere by infantry or cavalry. 
The valley itself was rich in grain, cattle, sheep, hogs 
and fruit, and was in such a prosperous condition that 
the rebel army could march down and up the valley 
billeting on the inhabitants. Such, in brief, is the out- 
line and was the condition of the Shenandoah Valley 
wdien Sheridan entered it, August 4th, 1S64. 

Great exertions were made to get the troops in readi- 
ness for an advance, and on the morning of August 
loth, Gen. Torbert's Division of Cavalry having joined 
Sheridan from Washington, a forward movement was 



164 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

commencetl. The enemy, while we were iiKikiug our 
preparations, took position at Bunker Hill ant! vicinity, 
twelve miles south of Martinsburg, frequently pushing his 
scouting parties through Smithfield and up to Charles- 
town. Torbert was ordered to move on the Berryville 
pike, through Berryville, and go into position near 
White Post. The Sixth Corps moved by the way of the 
Charlestown and Summit Point road to Clifton ; the 
Nineteenth Corps moved on the Berryville pike to the 
left of the position of the Sixth Corps at Clifton ; Gen. 
Crook's command by way of Kabletown to the vicinity 
of Berryville, coming into position on the left of the 
Nineteenth Corps, and Col. Lowell with regiments of 
cavalry was ordered to Summit Point, so that on the 
night of August loth, the army occupied a position 
stretching from Clifton to Berryville, with cavalry at 
White Post and Summit Point. The enemy moved 
from the vicinity of Bunker Hill, stretching his line from 
where the Wiuchester and Potomac Railroad crosses the 
Opequan Creek to where the Berryville and Winchester 
pike crosses the same stream, occupying the west bank. 
On the morning of August iith, the Sixth Corps was 
ordered to move from Clifton across tlie country to where 
the Berryville ])ike crosses Opequan Creek, carry the 
crossing, and hold it; the Nineteenth Corps was directed 
to move through Berryville, on tiie White Post road for 
one mile, hie to the right by heads of regiments at de- 
ploying distance, and carry and hold the crossing of the 
Opequan Creek at a ford about three-fourths of a mile 
from the left of the Sixth Corps ; Crook's command wa§ 



CAMPAIGNING WITll SlIERinAN. 1 6o 

ordered to move out on tlie White Post road, one mile 
and a half beyond Berryville, file to the right and secure 
the crossing of Opequan Creek at a ford about one mile 
to the left of the Nineteenth Corps. Torbert was diredl- 
cd to move with Merrill's Division of Cavalry up the 
Millwood pike towards Winchester, attack any force he 
might find, and if possible, ascertain the movements of 
the rebel army. Lowell was ordered to close in from 
Summit Point on the right of the Sixth Corps. 

Sheridan's intention in securing these fords was to 
march on Winchester, at which point it was thought the 
enemy would make a stand. But in this he was mis- 
taken, as the result of Torbert's reconnoissance proved. 
Merritt found the enemy's cavalry covering the Millwood 
pike west of the Opequan, and, attacking it, drove it in 
the diret5lion of Kernstown, and discovered the enemy 
retreating up the valley pike. As soon as this informa- 
tion was obtained, Torbert was ordered to move quickly 
by the way of the toll-gate on the Front Royal pike to 
Newtown, to strike the enemy's flank and harass him in 
his retreat, and Lowell to follow up through Winchester. 
Crook was turned to the left, and ordered to Stony Point 
or Nineveh, while Einory and Wright were marched to 
the left and went into camp between the Millwood and 
Front Royal pikes. Crook encamping at Stony Point. 
Torbert met some of the enemy's cavalry at the toll-gate 
on the Front Royal pike, drove it in the dire(5tion of 
Newtown, and behind Gordon's Division of Infantry, 
which had been thrown out from Newtown to cover the 
flank of the main column in its retreat, and which had 



KIT) CAMPAiGNtNG \\irFl SllkulDAN; 

put itself bc'liiiul rail barricades. A portion of Merritt's 
Cavalry attacked this infantry and drove in its skirmish 
line, and although unable to dislodge the division, held 
all the ground gained. The reliel divisions during the 
night moved off. Next day Crook moved from Stony 
Point to Cedar Creek. Emory followed ; the cavalry 
moved to the same point by the way of Newtown and 
the valley pike, and the Sixth Corps followed the cav- 
alry. 

On the night of tlic I2tii, Crook was in position at 
Cedar Creek, on the left of the valley pike. Nineteenth 
Corps on the right of the pike, the Sixth Corps on the 
right of the Nineteenth Corps, and the cavalry on the 
right and left flanks. A heavy skirmish line was thrown 
to the heights on south side of Cedar Creek, which had 
brisk skirmishing during the evening with the enemy's 
pickets, his (the enemy's) main force occupying the 
heights above and north of Strasburg. On the morning 
of the 13th, the cavalry was ordered on a reconnoissance 
towards .Strasburg, on the middle road, which road is 
two and a half miles to the west of the main pike. Re- 
ports of a column of the enemy moving up from Culpep- 
per Court House, and approaching Front Royal through 
Chester Gap, having been received, caused much anxiety, 
as an}' considerable force advanced through Front Royal, 
and down the Front Royal and Winchester pike toward 
Winchester, could be thrown in the rear, or, in case of 
driving the enemy to Fisher Hill and taking position in 
iiis front, tiiis same force could be moved along the base 
of Massanutten Mountain on the road to Strasburg, with 



CAMl^AlCiNINd WITH SHERIDAN. 



\(\\ 



the same result. As the effective line of battle strength 
at this time was about eighteen thousand infantry, and 
thirty-five hundred cavalry, we remained quiet during 
the day — except the activity on the skirmisli line — -to 
await further developments. In the evening the enemy 
retired with his main force to Fisher's Hill. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Three Federal Corps in the Shenandoah. — Playing 
Checkers Up atid Do-wn the ^'alley zvith Early. — 
De.ttroying Property. — Brilliant Engagement of 
Cavalry and Infantry. 



AS the rumors that a force was advancing- from the 
direction of Culpepper kejit increasing-, on the 
morning of the i-^tli a l)rigade of cavalry was sent to 
Front Royal to ascertain definitely, if possible, the truth 
of such reports, and at the same time the Sixth Corps 
was ordered to the soutli side of Cedar Creek, and occu- 
pied the heights above Strasburg. Considerable picket 
firing ensued. During the day a despatch was received 
from Washington, which at once explained the move- 
ment from Culpepper, and on the morning of the 15th 
two brigades of Merritt's Division of Cavalry were sent 
to the crossing of the .Shenandoah River, near Front 
Royal, and the Sixth CorjDS was withdrawn to the north 
side of Cedar Creek, holding at Strasburg a strong skirm- 
ish line. The despatch was as follows : — 

Two divisions of infantry have gone to Early, with some 
cavalry, and twenty pieces of artillery. Be cautious, and adt 
only on the defence. Early's force, with this increase, cannot 



tAkPAiGNiNc wrrrr siieripan. If)!) 

exceed forty thousand men. Slinll send the second division of 
the Nineteenth Corps and Wilson's Calvary Division. 

(Signed) U. S. GRANT, 

Lieutenant- General. 

On tlie receipt of this despatch Sheritlaii looked the 
ground over for the liest hue of defence, which wouhl 
protect tlic valley and prevent any movement of the enemy 
into Marvlantl, and tlecided to take position at Ilalltown, 
in front of Ilarpei's Ferry, which was the only defensive 
line in the valle\'. The Nineteenth Corps was ordereil to 
move to Winchester on the night of the 15th, followed by 
the vSixth Corps and Crook's command. Tlie following 
order was given Gen. Torbert : — 

General, — In compliance with instrui'tions of the Lieu- 
tenant-General commandinj^, vou will make the necessary ar- 
rangements, and give the necessary orders for the destruc'tion 
of the wheat and hay south of a line from Millwood and Win- 
chester, and Petticoat Gap. You will seize all nniles, horses 
and cattle that may be useful to our army. Loyal citizens can 
bring in their claims against the government for this necessary 
destruiftion. No houses will be burned, and ofilcers in charge 
of this delicate but necessary duty nnist inform the people that 
the object is to make this valley untenable for the raiding parties 
of the rebel army. 

Very respetHfully, 

P. H. SHERIDAN, 
Afa/or- General Commaudinir. 

On the afternoon of the i6th the arm}' had reached 
NewtowMi. Heavy cannonading was heard tow:n-ds 
Front Royal. Merrill's I)i\ision of Cavalry had been 



1 70 CAMiPAiGNtNG WlTir sHeridAn. 

attacked at the crossiiig of the Shenandoah by Kershaw's 
Division of Longstreet's Corps, and two lirigades of rcl)el 
cavahy, and had liandsomcly repulsed the attack, cap- 
turing two l)attle Hags and three hundred prisoners. 
During the night of the i6th, and early on the morning 
of the lytli, the Nineteenth Corps moved from Winches- 
ter to Berryville, and on the same morning Crook and 
Wright reached Winchester, and resumed the march 
towards Clifton's right, who had the rear guard, getting 
oidy as far as the Berryville crossing of Ope([uan, where 
he was ordered to remain. Crook was sent to the vicinity 
of Berryville. Lowell reached W^inchester with his two 
regiments of cavalry on the afternoon of the lytli^ where 
he was joined by Gen. Wilson's Division of Cavalr\'. 

Merritt, after his handsome engagement near Front 
Royal, was ordered back to the vicinity of White Post, 
and the second division of the Nineteenth Corps, under 
command of Gen. Grover, which arrived at Fortress 
Monroe, and was ordered up the James River to Ber- 
muda Hundred to support an expedition under Gen. 
Hancock, who was to make a demonstration while the 
mine was exploded in front of Petersburg. After this, 
the di\ ision was ordered to Washington, and ^vent into 
camp at Tenallytown. August 14th we took up a line 
of march for the Shenandoah Valley. Crossing the Po- 
tomac at Chain Bridge, through Leesburg, we entered 
the valle^• b\- way of Snicker's Gap, reuniting \\ith the 
First Division, and the Nineteenth Corps was once more 
complete. 

The enemy having a signal station on Three-Top 



cAkPAKJNtNc; VvrnI siikripAn. 



Mountain, almost overlians^infy Strasl)urf^, from wliicli 
every movement made l)y troops eould be seen, was noti- 
(led early on the mornino- of the 17th as to this eondilion 
of aiTairs, and without dela\^ followed after us. _<;"ettin<4- 
into Winchester al>out simdown, and driving- out (Jen. 
Torhert, who was left there with Wilson and Lowell, 
and the Jersey Urigade of the Sixth Corps. Wilson and 
Lowell fell hack to vSuniiuit Point, and tlie Jerscv Briyade 
joined its coips at the crossing of tlie Opequan. Ker- 
shaw's l)i\ision ami two biigades of Fitz Hugh Lee's 
Cavalry Division, vvhicli was the force at I'^ront Ro\'al, 
joined Earlv at Winchester on the evening of the 17th. 

On the iSth the vSixth Corps moxed 1)\- the wa\' of 
Clifton to Flowing Spring, two miles and a half west 
of Charlestow^n, on the Smithfield pike ; the Nineteenth 
Corps went about two miles and a half south of Cliarles- 
town, on the Berryville pike. Merritt came back to 
Berryville. Wilson remained at Summit Point, covering 
the crossing of Opecjuan Creek as far north as the briilge 
at Smitiiiield. Merritt covered the crossing of the ]3erry- 
ville pike ; Cook remaining near Clifton, and the next 
day moved to the left of the Nineteentii Corps. This 
position was maintained until the 21st, when the enemy 
moved a heavy force across the Opequan at the bridge 
at Smithfield, driving in the cavalry pickets, which fell 
back to Summit Point and ad\anced rapidly on the po- 
sition of the Sixth Corps, near Flowing Springs, when a 
very sharp and obstinate skirmish took place with the 
heavy picket line of that corps, resulting xcvy much in 
its favor. 



1/2 CAMPAIGNING WITH SltERIDAN. 

The enemy appeared to have tliouj^ht that we had 
taken position near Summit Point, and that hy moving 
around rapidly through Smithfield he would get into our 
rear. In this, however, he was mistaken. During the 
day Merritt (who had been attacked and held his ground) 
was recalled from Berryville. Wilson had also been at- 
tacked by infantry, and had also held his ground until 
ordered in. During the night of the 3ist the army moved 
back to Halltown with inconvenience, the cavalry, ex- 
cept Lowell's command, which formed on the left, mov- 
ing early on the morning of the 22d, and going into 
position on the right of the line. 

On the morning of the 22d the encmv moved up to 
Charlcstown and pushed well up to our position at Hall- 
town, skirmishing with the cavahy videttes. On the 
24th a reconnoissance was made, capturing a numlier of 
prisoners, our own loss l:)eing about thirty men, On the 
25th there was sharp picket firing during the day on part 
of the infantry line. The ca\'alry was ordered to attack 
the enemy's cavalry at Kearneysville. This attack was 
handsomely made, but instead of finding the enemy's 
cavalry his infantry was encountered, and for a time 
doubled up and thrown into the utmost confusion. It 
was marching towards Shepardstown. This engagement 
was somewhat of a mutual surprise, our cavalry expecting 
to meet the enemy's caxalry, and his infantry expecting 
no opposition whatever. Gen. l\irl)ert, who was in com- 
mand, finding a large force of the rebel infantry in his 
front, came back to ouv left, and the enenn- belie\ing iiis 
movements had been discovered, and tliat the force left 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



by him in front of Halltowu would be attacked, returned 
in great haste, but before doing so isolated Custer's 
Brigade, which had to cross to the north side of the 
Potomac at vShepardstown, and join the army by way of 
Harper's Ferry. It was believed Early meditated a cross- 
ing of his cavalry into Maryland at Williamsport, and 
Wilson's Division was sent around by Harper's Ferry to 
watch its movements. Averill in the meantime had taken 
part at \Villiamspt)rt, on the north side of the Potomac, 
and held the crossing against a force of rebel cavalry 
which made the attempt to cross. On the night of the 
36th the enemy silently left our front, moving over 
Opequan Creek at the Smithheld and Summit Point 
crossings, and concentrating his force at Brucetown and 
Bunker Hill, leaving their cavalry at Leetown and Smith- 
field. 

On the zSth the infantry moved in front of Cliarles- 
town, and Merritt was directed to attack the enemy's 
cavalrv at Leetown, which he did, defeating it, and i)ur- 
suing it through Smithfield. Wilson recrossed the Po- 
tomac at Shejjardstown, and joined the infantry in front 
of Charlestown. On tlie 29th Averill crossed at Wil- 
liamsport and advancetl to Martinsburg. 

The same day the division of the enemy's infantry and 
a small force of ca\alry attacked Merritt at the Smithfielil 
bridge, and after a iiard fight drove him through Smith- 
field iuid back towards Charlestown, the cavalry fight- 
ing with great obstinacy until re-enforced with Rickett's 
Division of the Sixth Corps, when in turn the enemy was 
driven back through Smithfield and over the Opequan, 



174 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

the cavalry again taking part at (he .Sniithlield liridge. 
(Jn the 30th Torhert was (hreeHeil to move IMerritt and 
Wilson to l^erryville, leaving Lowell to guard tiie vSniith- 
tield I)ridge and occupy the town. On the 31st A\erill 
was driven back from Martinsburg to Falling Waters. 

On tlie 3(1 of September, Averill, who had returneil 
to Martinsburg, advanced on [Junker Hill, attacked 
McCausland's Cavahy, defeated it, capturing \vagons 
and prisoners, and destroying a good deal of propertv. 
The infantry mo\ed into position, stretching from Clif- 
ton to Berryville, Wright moving l)v Summit Point, 
Crook and Emory by the Berryville pike. Torbert had 
been onleretl to White Post early in the dav, and the 
enemy, supposing they could cut him oil', pushed across 
the Opet|uan towards Berryville, with Kershaw's Di- 
vision in achance ; l)ut this tlivision, not expecting infan- 
try, blundered on to Crook's lines about dark, and was 
vigorously attacked and driven, with heavy loss, back 
towards the Opequan. This engagement, which was 
after nightfall, was very spirited, and our own and the 
enemy's casualties severe. On the 13th, one of those 
handsome dashes was made by Gen. Mcintosh of Wil- 
son's ])i\ision, capturing the Eighth South Carolina 
Regiment at Al)ram's Creek ; on the same tlay Getty's 
Division of the Sixth Corps made a reconnoissaiice to 
the 0})e([uan, developing a heavy force of the enemy at 
Edward's Crossing. 

The position we had taken at Clifton was six miles 
from Ope(|uan Creek, on the west bank of which the 
enemy was in position. This distance of six miles 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 175 

Sheridan was determined to hold by scouting parties, 
au(\ by liolding it this vva\ , without pushing up tlie main 
force, we expected t(j \)c al)le to move on tlie enemy at 
the proper time witliout his obtaining the information 
which he would innnediately get from his pickets it we 
were in close pioximity. On the night of the 15th reli- 
able information was received that Kershaw's Division 
was moving through Winchester, and in the direction of 
Front Royal. Sheridan had determined to tight at New- 
town, placing his arm\ between Winchester and .Stras- 
l)urg. Gen. Grant arrived at Charlestown and indorsed 
the mo\ ement with the order to go on, but this plan was 
changed owing to circumstances beyond Sheridan's con- 
trol, and the battle of Opecjuan was fought insteail of 
Newtown. 



CHAPTER X X 1 1 1 . 

Lively Work in the Fldiious S/ienandoa/i Valley. — 
Ha tile of Opcqnan Creek. — Delay in Getting into 
Action. — Bravery of Yankee Soldiers. — Opening 
of a Bloody Struggle. 



ON that mL'moral)Ie day, .September 19th, 1S64, the 
order to march was received at i a.m. Cotlee 
newly made and drunk, and everythin<^ ready for mov- 
in<i^ at precisel}' 2 a.m. The Nineteenth Corps filed out 
of camp Ijy divisions, and took the road to Berry\ ille. 
Reaching- that place we turned oti' to the rii^ht and struck 
the Winchester pike, and marched, as usual, upon each 
side of the road, leaving the pike for the trains of amhu- 
lances and artillery. Distant cannonading began to be 
heard at daylight, which came from the Opequan Creek, 
where our cavalry advance was driving in the rebel out- 
posts. 

The Sixth Corps had also marciied across countr}-! 
from tile right of line to left, to the Berry ville pike, and 
was to support Wilson's cavalry, which was to lead the 
advance and clear the gorges. This they did in their 
usual daring manner, dashing across the creek and cap- 
turing tlie rebel's videttes, their earthwork and two guns. 
Thus the road was cleared for the Sixth Corps. Orders 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SIIEFilDAN. 177 

had been given to leave the wai^on trains at the rear, 
!)ut the Sixth Corps seemed to ha\ e its full supply, for 
it delayed the crossinj^ of the Nineteenth Corps over 
three hours. The Nineteenth Corps stood in line, wait- 
in<^ and listening- to the hea\y cavalry firing- of Wilson's 
I^rigade, as they were pushing- Loniax, the rebel cavalry, 
back. Gen. Emory was " swearing mad." Statl' officer 
after statl'ofHcer was sent to Gen. Wright, asking him to 
clear his wagon train from the gorge. Finally the 
order was given to advance. After this long delay the 
Nineteenth Corps marched into the gorge by the flank, 
pushing up this narnnv load, wdiich was filled with 
headcjuarters wagons, ammunition trains and and)u- 
lances dodging in and out among the diflerent trains, 
with heavy musketrv firing in the ad^'ance, telling us that 
we were needetl at the front. The reader can hardly 
imagine the difficulty and arduous work that an army 
has going into a battle, dodging around wagons and 
mules ; but thank God, we at last got clear of the Sixth 
Corps wagon trains. Filing out of the gorge on the 
right, Grover's famous vSecond Division was placed in 
the front line, with the First Division in reserve on the 
left. In front of the Sixth Corps was Ramseur's Di- 
vision of Infantry, supported by Nelson's Batterv and 
Lomax's Cavalry. But the long delay of the Sixth Corps 
in getting into position gave the rebels time to bring up 
Gordon's and Rhodes' Divisions, and instead of making 
the brilliant flank movement of getting between the rel)s 
and their line of retreat up the valley, .Sheridan was 
obliged to change his plans and fight the whole of the 

12 



178 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



relicls at once, instead ot in sections as he hail intended 
to do in the morning. 

At 11.30 in the forenoon the armies of Slieri(hm and 
Early confronted each other l)etvveen Wincliester and 
Opetiuan Creek in the following order: The rebel line 
extended across the turnpike, covering Winchester, with 
Breckenridge's Corps in the centre, Rhodes' Division 
of Early's Corps on the left, Ramseur's Division of 
Early's Corps on the right, Johnson's Cavalry on the 
extreme right, with Fitz-IIiigh Lee and Loniax's and 
McCausland's Cavalry on the extreme left, opposing 
our own. The Ihiion army of the Sixth Corps (two 
divisions) was on the let\ crossing the turnpike, and the 
Nineteenth Corps was on the right of the Sixth Corps. 
The Armv of Western Virginia was on the Opecpian in 
reserve, (jen. Wilson's Cavalry on the left, and (jenerals 
Merritt and Averill's Cavalry on the right. Russell's 
Division of the Sixth Corps was in the reserve. 

The cannonading, which had continued so liercely 
through the forenoon, till the dispositions were fairly 
estaltlished, partially ceased. Their sharpshooters and 
skirmishers were white specks on the cornfield, and 
clustered in groups about barns and houses, while nearer 
still our own skirmish lines were posted along the edges 
of the woods, behind rail tences across fields, waiting 
the signal. Still nearer and around the splendid march- 
ing columns our own infantry were debouched from the 
pike and woods upon the fields and plains ; some wait- 
ing in hollows behind the crest, some forming in position 
for an advance. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 171) 

The Hags of the re«i;inieiits had a pioud h)()k ; an ehis- 
tic tread was in every rank. The Sixtli Corps was all 
up ami mostly ready. The Nineteenth Corps, aseendiny 
the heights to the right, opposite the jmUc, was slowly 
wheeling into line. The levels and hollows between the 
main army and the skirmish line were crossed and rc- 
crossed by galloping statVotticers and orderlies, carrying 
and receiving orders. Generals Sheiitlan and Wright 
and Emory rode swiftly with their stafls along the lines, 
looking well to every point of advantage upon the 
groimd, examining with their glasses the position of the 
foe, and completing all dispositions for an attack. For a 
moment, over this scene of beauty and expec^tation, tliere 
was perfecH calm. For only a moment the artillery and 
musketry were still. The smoke wreaths of our bat- 
teries standing silent, failed away in airy mist. I'he 
pickets and sharpshooters along the line of battle took 
bieath. In that moment, save the advantage obtained 
by Gen. Wilson in the morning (which was neutralized, 
and more than neutralized, by the delay which ailordeil 
the enemy time to concentrate his army in the forenoon), 
everything was yet to begin and to be gained. No one 
who glanced at the lines of men, full of confidence and 
strength, disposed for miles along the country within 
view, but could feel his heart throb with serious doubt. 

The signal long expecHetl was given at last. Emory 
of the Nineteenth Corps gave the order to attack at pre- 
cisely 11.40. The Second (Gen. Getty's) and the Third 
(Gen. Rochelle's) Divisions of the Sixth Corps joined 
in the advance, the First (Gen. Russell's) Division being 



ISO CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

held in reserve. The Nineteenth Corps, including- both 
divisions under Generals Grover and Dwight, advanced. 
The lines at the signal were postetl for tlie most part in 
the edges of the woods, through which the troops ad- 
vanced, giving their fire to the enemy. 

For a few seconds the gleaming lines of our bayonets 
vibrated before they entered the timber, and were lost to 
view in the shadow and smoke. The enemy, receiving 
a severe and continual volley along his entire front, gave 
back at first a volley as severe, but were forced to retire 
slowly before the attack. The roar of the battle, as the 
two lines fairly met, became thunderous. The artillery 
opened simultaneously on either side. The hollow clang 
of musketry in the forest was like the fierce clangor 
at Port Hudson. The precision and quickness of the 
enemy's cannonade was almost alarming. The guns, 
posted at first in well-selected, overlookivig positions, 
never knew a moment's rest. Their fire remained un- 
slackened for an hour, during which we had driven the 
enemy at some points back nearly half a mile. 

The determination to win the battle, which seemed to 
inspire every man among our army, urged certain parts 
of the line along somewhat too hastily in advance. 

Rickctts' Division, of the Sixth Corps, in advanc- 
ing had obliciued to the left towards the pike. Col. 
Sharp's Brigade, composed of the Tiiirty-eighth Massa- 
chusetts Regiment, Col. Ricliardson commanding; and 
the One Ilinidred and Fifty-sixth New York, Lieut.-Col. 
Nefty ; the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth New York, 
One Ilundred and Seventy-fifth and One Hundred and 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. ISl 

Seventy-sixth New York, forming the extreme left of 
Grover's Division, connecting with Ricketts' Division of 
the Sixth Corps. 

Ramseur's and Rhodes' Rebel Division, the Sixth 
Corps were driving back. Just at this critical moment 
the rebels, seeing the gap between the Nineteenth and 
Sixth, caused by Ricketts' oblique movement, Battles' 
Brigade of Rhodes' Division, which had formed in the 
rear of Evans, charged through the woods, striking the 
right of the Sixth and the left of the Nineteenth. The 
Third Brigade stood the torrent of shot and shell for a 
few moments, then following the Sixth Corps they fell 
back. Every fourth man in the Third Brigade was 
either killed or wounded at this time. 

Birges' Brigade, which was on the right of Siiarp's, 
had kept the rebel line on a jump since the word " For- 
ward ! " had been given. The Fourteenth New Hamp- 
shire, which was a large regiment, and which liad not 
been engaged till this fight, showed by its list of killed 
and wounded, the prominent part which it had borne in 
this engagement. The men deserve a great deal more 
credit than they ever received. If the disaster had not 
happened to Ricketts' Division and to Sharp's Brigade, 
Birges' Brigade would have swept everything before it. 
But when the left gave way they had to follow the in- 
evitable and go wiih it. 

The One Hundred and Fifty-sixtli New York lost one 
hundred and thirty-five men within a few moments. 
Col. Sharp, commanding the brigade, and all the regi- 
mental commanders, except one, were disa])led. Part of 



182 cAmpAignInC; WitIi siifetiibAN. 



Glover's and Ricketts' command reached the base from 
which they had started in a state of confusion. The 
Sixtli and Nineteenth Corps men were crowded together 
on tlie Borryville pike, near the gorge. Some regi- 
ments disappeared for a time as organizations. Generals 
Emory and Grover, Gen. Wright and Gen. Ricketts, 
with their staffs, and Sherichin, formed one of those excit- 
ing and interesting groups, which only a desperate occa- 
sion like this calls forth. Ordering in the first division 
of the Nineteenth Corps, and Russell's Division of the 
Sixth, Gen. Grover ordered Capt. Bradbury of the First 
Maine Battery to push the battery into position. Under 
a heavy musketry, the battery galloped into position and 
commenced cannonading, which tore huge gaps in the 
rebel advance. The One Hundred and Thirty-first New 
York formed a line, allowed the charging enemy to pass 
by them, and poured a volley into their backs. As they 
staggered under this volley, the Thirty-seventh Massa- 
chusetts opened in front with their repeating rifles, 
checking the advance at this point. Nefly- of the Third 
Brigade charged the rebel lines. Molineaux's Brigade 
was on his left. The Twelfth Coimec"^icut and Eighth 
Vermont were hurried through the woods, supported by 
(he One Hundred and vSixteenth New York. Closing in 
on the right were the One Hundred and Fourteenth and 
One Hundred and Sixtieth New York, and Forty-seventh 
Peimsylvania. These regiments had been shifted and 
changed from their positions, and filled gaps caused by 
the losses in the first advance. In the Sixth Corps the 
same activity was displayed, ofiicers and men feeling 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 183 

that the responsibility rested on their slioulders. Rus- 
sell's Division took the position that Ricketts' had held, 
and Dwight's Division took the place of Grover's. The 
word "Forward!" was given as Russell's Division 
charged. 

Such a sight rarely occurs more than once in any 
battle as was presented on the open space between the 
two pieces of woodland into which the cheering enemy 
poured in their eagerness. Their whole line, reckless 
of bullets, reckless even of the shells of our batteries, 
constantly advanced. Capt. Stevens' Battery, posted im- 
mediately on their flank, poured its fire unflinchingly 
into their columns to the last. A staff' officer, riding up, 
warned it to the rear to save it from capture. Col. 
Tompkins, in command of the artillery of the Sixth 
Corps, sat upon his horse with a loaded revolver. 



U AFTER XXIV. 

I)eatJi of General Russell. — Sheridan'' s Escape, — 
A Grand Cliargc by the Sixth Corps. — Bravery 
of the Cavalry. — Magnificent Spectacle Presented 
by the JMoiu'ng- Wall of Men. 



T I fllE men of the battery ordered not to move, stood 
JL to their guns loading and firing with the regnhirity 
and precision of a field-day, kept it at work in tiie face 
of the foe, who advanced at least within two hundred 
yards of the muzzles of the guns. Gen. Wright, in com- 
mand of the Sixth Corps, acted with prompt decision. 
Although it was indeed early in the day to be forced to 
employ the reserve of an army, he decided to employ his 
reserves at once. The first division of the Sixth Corps, 
under Gen. Russell, immediately in the rear, was ordered 
in at the double-quick. Col. Edwards' Brigade advanc- 
ing sent its bullets crashing into the enemy's lines, aston- 
ishing and checking them. Gen. Russell, commanding 
the division, cheered on the troops of his command, gal- 
loping along the lines and endeavoring to re-form the 
columns which were broken. The lines were con- 
structed with admirable (juickness, and the enemy were 
charged in turn. 

As the revived troops moved slowly forwar<I, giving 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERlbAN. ISi) 

out their volle3S, Gen. Russell was struck in the side 
with a bullet. Straightening himself up, without utter- 
ing a word of pain, he called out to the command to 
" Move on ! " and moved on with them into the frav. In 
half a moment more a piece of hursted shell from one of 
the enemy's batteries entered his breast, passing down 
through his vitals and out at the other side. He fell 
from his horse without a word. His men moved bv 
him. His oificers, inoving by, also saw with hearts full 
of sadness an agony which they never will forget, but 
which they could not then attempt even to alleviate. 

The enemy, not yet wholly daunted, regained and 
preserved a somewhat stubborn front. At this moment 
the brigade of Gen. Upton, also attached to the First 
Division, moved upon the right of Col. Edwards antl 
charged. The charge of this brigade was the finest 
spectacle in the infantry battle of the day. Gen. Upton 
himself rode at the advance of his lines, and drawing 
his sword sat his horse like a centaur, calling his men to 
follow. The brigade went in with a cheer that prophe- 
sied the event to come. Solid and straight and strong 
its two lines moved onward out of the woods and into 
the field. The rebel advance was an advance no longer. 
The route was turned. Back over the fences, into and 
beyond the ravines, and into the woods still beyond, 
their lines, flying and broken, were pushed on. The 
troops of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, re-forming and 
charging, soon won back the lost ground and a portion 
of the field be3ond. 

The battle now slackened for a time and the main 



18C) CAMPAIGNING With SlIEniDAN. 

lines of our army were re-formed, preparatory to a 
secoiul attack. Tlie Nineteenth Corps formed the cen- 
tre, the Sixth Corps on the left, and the Army of Western 
Virginia on the extreme right, being ordered to advance 
simultaneously and drive the enemy out of their position. 
During all this time the cavalry of Gen. Wilson, Gen. 
Merritt and Gen. Averill, on the left and right, had not 
been inadlive. Gen. Wilson had joined in the charge 
made at 11.30, driving the enemy's cavalry in his front. 
Gen. Mcintosh, commanding one of his brigades, had 
been wounded in the leg. Generals Merritt and Averill, 
who had been pushing the rebel cavalry from the Ope- 
quan, had formed a junftion on the Winchester and 
Martinsburg pike, and were driving them in rapid and 
successive charges down towards the scene of the main 
battle. Fitz-IIugh Lee's Cavalry had been overwhelmed 
by Custer in the early afternoon. The rest of tlie rebel 
cavalry made so little opposition that for eight miles our 
troops moved at a trot-gallop, coralling and driving them 
like sheep. At 2.30 p.m., therefore, when the Second 
Infantry advance was ordered. Gen. Torbert, with his 
two divisions, was in a position to co-operate in time 
with the main army. The fire of our artillery, which, 
owing to the scarcity of good positions, had previously 
not been so destrudlive, was now increased. More bat- 
teries were employed by the Sixth Corps and Nineteenth 
Corps. These batteries were put in position in the rear 
of the lines. A rapid cannonade was opened just before 
the advance. The enemy replied to it with their usual 
viiror. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 1)S7 

We advanced again abont 2.30 p.m. It was made 
steadily from the first. The enemy must have known 
that to withstand this attack was their hist hope during 
the day, but, although they met it with a front so stub- 
born, and for a moment so unyielding, few would have 
ventured to wager upon their retreat. Their lines were 
very soon shaken by the determined and fearful volleys 
of our soldiers. 

The stern, and magnificent advance of every brigade 
employed in this movement made a speftacle, the gran- 
deur of which has certainly not been equalled on any 
battlefield of this war. The left flank of the enemy, 
shattered by Gen. Crook, gave way, and began wheeling 
aroimd toward the southwest beyond the Marti nsburg 
turnpike. At this moment Gen. Torbert, to whom the 
sound of our guns was a signal, moved on his advance to 
help the attack. Gen. Devens' advance on the left of 
Gen. Lowell, in support, was confronted just before the 
advance by the enemy's infantry, pouring out from a 
mass of woods, in retreat before Gen. Crook. Gen. 
Devens had under his immediate command but two regi- 
ments, the Ninth and First New York. The moment 
was critical ; to hesitate was perhaps to lose both. 

Gen. Merritt, in command of the division, shouteil 
out : " Charge them with what you have ! " And Devens 
ilrawing his sabre headed his regiment, and went through 
the flying crowds, cutting them dowMi, still further de- 
moralizing them, and capturing three hundred prisoners 
and three battle flags. The rest of the cavalry charging 
in turn, in conjim(5lion with Gen. Crook, kept pushing 



l88 CAlVIPAiGNiNG WITH SHERIDAN. 

the enemy's left and flank. Equally as successful an ad- 
vance had been made on our left by the Sixth Corps. 
The riglit flank of the enemy was also pushed back. 
The rebel line soon formed a triangle, the apex towards 
us; the base gradually narrowing as both flanks were 
pushed towards each other by our attack. 

As the rebel centre began to waver, under the terrililc 
fire of Grover's Second Division of the Nineteenth Corps, 
Sheridan, riding in front of the line, a shell came screech- 
ing through the air, and, burying itself in tiie grounil 
untler the horse, exploded, covering the rider with 
smoke and dust. We thought he must be either killetl 
or wounded ; but galloping through the temporarv cloud 
he remarked, in his peculiar characteristic manner: 

" D— n close, but we '11 lick h-11 out of tliem yet." 

You can bet we gave him cheer on cheer. Riding up 
to Gen. Grover, he said : 

''Now is the time to go in," and in we went, for we 
had tliem on the jmnp. 

The battle was still a fierce one on both sides. Al- 
though the day was evidently lost to the rebels, they 
fought on at some points with a desperate resolution. 
The roar of musketry, thunders of cannonade, shouts of 
commanders, cheering of our men, echoed now for miles 
over the fields, through the woods, and in the rivers. 
More batteries moved up to the front, the cannonade 
grew and grew in volume, untilevery second gave birth 
to the report of a gun. Battery after battery of the enemy 
was silenced, but from whatever guns they could com- 
mand, they gave back fire for fire. Evidently believing 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SIIERIDAX. 189 

from the fierceness of our charges that reserves were 
coming up, they luirled a hissing storm of shot and shell 
far into our rear, ploughing the roads and cornfields, and 
making the abodes of stragglers scenes of terror. On 
and on went the battle, every moment more distant. 
Back from the front, along every roadway, out of the 
forests, across the meadows, came ambulances and 
stretchers, bearing the cost of a triumph that was now 
secured. The dead were horrible dead. It seemed as 
if the majority had received their death from shells. 
Most of tiie bodies were dismembered, and at least half 
were mangled beyond recognition. Now, if ever, was 
seen the good work of that class of Samaritans, perforce 
the medical otiicers and ambulance bearers of an army. 
Underneath flying shells, within range even of bullets, 
these men moved watchfully, bending down now and 
then to lift the sufl'erer and bear him to the ambulance in 
waiting. So rapid and thorough was this work, that it 
was rare to find a wounded man uncared for one hour 
after the battle in which he was wounded had passed 
over him. 

Still on, underneath the glowing sun, revived by fresh 
breezes, revived still more by the consciousness of victory, 
the Army of the Shenandoah thundered after its prey. 
The word is '■'■Forvvanl !" along the miles of the contest. 
" Forward! " You could hear it from the lips of com- 
manders everywhere, from General and Colonels and 
Captains, with a superabundance of oaths and curses, 
and unnecessary entreaties added. The woods rang with 
it. Cheers siicceeded it, and the lines advanced anew. 



100 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

Yonder, in an orcliaicl at tlie left, tlie troops of Getty's 
Division of the Sixth Corps were making havoc among 
their enemies. They crossed a ravine and took a crest, 
and the batteries of McCarty and others, in their rear on 
this side of tiie ravine, sent over their lieads a worse than 
equinoctial tempest of shells. On the right, far to the 
right, the Army of Western Virginia, still pressing the 
foe witli resistless ardor, and revenging Winchester, 
Grover's Division in the centre, with Birges' and Moli- 
neaux's Brigades in advance, the rest of the Nineteenth 
Corps in easy supporting distance, and all the batteries 
tiring over our heads. 

We arc obeying Sheridan's oriler to go in, and are 
making an angle out of the triangle describetl before. 
The cavalry of Torbert, on the extreme right, is sweep- 
ing around, preparatory to a last and overwhelming 
charge soon to be made. Tlie artillery, closing up on 
our rear, thunders still more heavily. Back from the 
mountains, back from the nearing spires of Winchester, 
the eclioes of the battle tremble. 

The last plateau direftly overlooking the plain before 
Winchester was gained by the whole army. The enemy 
encompassed by a semi-circle fought still, retreating 
upon the farthest verge of the plateau, their artillery, 
driven to the plain below, being completely silenced. 
Along the plateau the forward march of our battalions 
was as unconceined as upon parade. Down lower and 
lower yet the heads of the rebels sank, and were lost be- 
hind its verge. What a cheer then wt'nt up from the 
Army of the Shenandonh ! A cheer that like the sweep 



CAMI'AIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 1*J1 



of a billow ranged through the army, making its heart 
inthiitely glad. Forward, still forward, at a double 
quick, cheering and tiring still ! Winchester came in 
full view, its roofs and steeples glowing red in the set- 
ting sun. Our artillery, borne across the plateau to its 
farthest verge, did a work so terrible, that to witness it 
was sickening. The whole rebel army swept down the 
slope and on to the plain below completely demoralized. 
At every discharge of our guns its ranks bent helplessly 
forward, like the grasses of a field before a storm. Rebel 
horsemen, galloping everywhere upon the plain, swung 
useless sabres and shouted useless cries for the men to 
rallv. There was no rallying in them. And as the right 
flank of Gen. Crook swept around into view the enemy 
flew hopelessly before them everywhere. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Grand C'avalry Charge. • — Through Winchcsicr. — 
Good Record of Massachusetts Soldiers, — Bravery 
oj Color- Sergeaut Luut. — Advauce of the Troops 
to Tisher's Hill the Next AIor?iiu<2\ 



TTTIIE cavalry of Gen. Torbert, pressed forward to 
4_ the right, galloped in resistless columns around the 
left flaidv of tile rebel army. Oh, what vengeance ! 
Galloping in close ranks with sabres gleaming red, with 
cries that sounded above the roar of musketry and ar- 
tillery, to complete the work of the great day. Their 
horses, each arching a proud neck, and with nostrils 
wide and glowing, have a look like the Roman chariot 
horses of old in the midst of victory. Faster, yet faster, 
with a speed greater than the weary feet of the enemy 
they encompass, they galloped up and in among the 
Hying foe. The sabre, that arm of which so many myth- 
ical deeds have been recorded, did a(3:ual work. 

Generals Torbert and Merritt with their staffs, joining 
in the splemlid glee of the moment, were in the very 
fiout of the fust line, charging and dealing death with 
their men. (jenerals Custer and Lowell, whose bri- 
gades were making the charge, were also in the front 
doing good service. The Sixth and Fourth New York, 



CAMPAIGNINC; \VH11 SHERIDAN. 193 

Dcvciis' Brigade, joined in the good work. Tiie enemy, 
surrounded on the left h\ this briUiant nio\einent, could 
make but a momentary opposition. Scores forsaking 
their comrades flew to the houses near by and concealed 
themselves therein. Nimibers were cut down and cap- 
tured. The rest made their escape, joined their flying 
comrades across the Winchester pike, making toward 
the town. Fom- hundretl prisoneis, four battle flags and 
one piece of artillery were the prizes, aside from the 
dead and wounded of the enemy, of this luilliant charge. 

The sun, alas! set on the horizon's verge. Across 
that plain befoie Winchester its beams shone upon a 
scene rivalling in [)icturesque sublimity all historic Helds 
of most heroic wars. V^ist and level, and beautiful for 
miles, the fleld itself unpeopled woukl be full of romantic 
interest; peopled as it was liy thousands of rebels, shat- 
teretl, demoralized, flying by thousands, still-pursuing 
troops moving in well-ortlered battalions, resounding 
with a torrent of nHisketr> and the boom of cannon, the 
smoke of the battle alone would have told who were the 
vi(!:tors. Along the ragged front of the rebel hosts it rose 
in patches ; along the solid front of the Lbiion army it 
rose in straight thin clouds. 

Far ofl' on the heights surrounding Winchester the 
enenn's artillery, again hurriedly posted, thundered a 
faint answer to oiu" own. The missiles from these guns, 
badly aimed, ploughed along the plain, endangering the 
reltel wounded, who were left in the retreat, ([uite as 
much as our (jwn men. 

One more charge ere the sun goes dovyn. One more 
13 



194 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

charge, with vidlory in its meaning, viflory as its result. 
The day is won ; the rebel arniy is beaten and over- 
whelmed at every point. 

Flying through Winchester, scarcely attempting a 
stand, except to protect the remaining pieces of their 
artillery, they are pursued by our men. In half an hour 
Winchester and the heights beyond are in our possession. 
The twilight gathers ; darkness falls. The only signs of 
the enemy, met in the morning and fought duiing the 
day, are the echoes of their artillery wagons retreating 
along the pike toward Newtown. 

We captured twenty-two hundred prisoners, live 
thousand stand of arms, live pieces of artillery and eleven 
battle-ilags. Nearly three thousand rebel wounded were 
left in Winchester and on the field. Gen. Rhodes was 
killed. Generals Gordon, Goodwin, Lomax, York and 
others, were wounded and prisoners. Our losses were 
fearful, showing the terrible fire which the different corps 
were subjected to. The loss of the Nineteenth Corps 
was nineteen hundred and fifty-six killed, wounded and 
missing ; the Sixth Corps was sixteen himdred and 
eighty-five ; the Eighth Corps, eight hundred and iifty- 
three ; the cavalry, four hundretl and forty-one; total, 
fortv-nine hundred and thirty-live. 

Specimen losses, illustrating the fierceness of the battle 
at certain points, are shown by the facit that, in iicn. 
Grover's Division alone, every Colonel commanding a 
regiment was either killed or woiuidcd. 

Massachusetts was represented in this battle by the Sec- 
ond Massachusetts Cavalry, loss, eight killed, wounded 



CAMPAIGNING WITJI SHERIDAN. 195 

and missing; Third Cavalry, dismounted — their loss 
\sas one hundred and four ; I'wenty-sixth Massachusetts, 
tliirty-tvvo ; the Thirtieth Massachusetts, twche; the 
Thirtv-tburth Massachusetts, Eiglith Corps, one hundred 
and ten out of two hundred and ninety-seven ; the Thirty- 
seventh Massachusetts, Sixth Corps, ninety-one out of 
two hundred and sixty-six. This regiment charged in 
gallant style and captured the colors of Stonewall Jack- 
son's old regiment. 

Just here I will say a word in praise of Color-Sergeant 
A. M. Lunt of Cambridge, for the gallant and hrave 
manner in which he saved the flag of the Thirty-eighth 
Massachusetts, Nineteenth Corps. As the lines almost 
grappled with each other, the bullets falling like hail- 
stones about him, the shriek of I)ursting shells, the wild 
rebel yell,- '■'• Drop that flag ! " was answered by the Union 
cheers and volleys of musketry. The staft'was splintered, 
the top was shot away, a number of holes \vere shot 
through it, l)ut oiu- brave Color-Sergeant brought our 
colors out safe. A large part of our loss, of flfty-seven 
out of two hundred and twenty-six occurred at this time. 

In the moment of triumph succeeding the flight of the 
enemy through Winchester, there was much enthusiasm 
throughout the army. Gen. Sheridan, justly elated at 
his contjuest, rode along a portion of the lines and was 
vociferously cheered. Generals Wright, Crook and 
Emory met with like reception. The soldiers threw up 
their hats and hugged each other in their Joy. 

The camp-fires springing up as the army bivouacked 
for the night upon the plain, each had its group of shout- 



|'.)(i CAMPAIGNING WITH SHPZRIDAN. 



ing, laughing, talking men, congratulating each other 
over the events of the day. At distances upon the plain, 
an hour or so after nightfall, the band of the army played 
the weary troops to sleep. The moon rose to their 
music, shedding its white radiance down upon the slum- 
bers of the camps — upon the sleepless torture of not a 
few wounded, who still lay uncared for on the field. 

Ihider the moon, in the silence of that night, the work 
of the medical department, and cjf the detail of the army 
went on. 

In the orchard where Gen. Getty made his charge in 
the afternoon, the fields and roads where Crook first met 
the enemy, the rebel dead and wounded were piled in 
swaths. Their groans, let it be said, were few. They 
bore their sufierings with that still patience which is the 
attribute of a true soldier, and which they, God knows, 
have learnetl b}' discipline to the letter. 

" The last red Siiniiner's sun had shone upon tlie battle's fray, 
From yonder lorest charged the blue, down yonder slope the 

The hush of death was on the scene, and sunset on the dead, 
In tiiat oppressive stillness a pall of glory spread." 

The enemy carried many of their wounded from the 
field. In many places pools of blood were tliscovered 
where bodies had imdoubtedly lain. Nearly every house 
along the pathway of battle contained one, and some- 
times half a dozen, woinided men. 

Hospital duties were performed in Winchester itself by 
hjilf the families, as well as by the rebel surgeons and 



CAMPAIGNING Wmi SJIERIDAN. 197 

our own. Lisjhts gleamed from every wiiulow, and 
shadows of moving nurses flickered against the curtains; 
faint cries of pain sometimes issued from the doors. 

In the streets of the town and before it, after the 
enem3''s retreat, were picked up a piece of artillery, two 
caissons, one or two army wagons, and half a dozen 
ambidances. The traces of the army wagons and gun 
carriages were cut, showing that the men IkuI forsaken 
them in haste. Aside from these, antl prisoners, flags 
and artillery captured in the l)attle, Gen. Early succeeded 
in removing everything connected with his army. His 
trains were sent to the rear at the beginning of the battle. 

At daylight on the morning of September 20th, the 
army moved rapidly up the valley pike in pursuit of the 
enemy, who had continued his retreat during the night 
to Fisher's Hill, south of Strasburg. Fisher's Hill is the 
blurt' immediatel}' south of, and lines a little stream called 
Tumble Run, and is a position which was almost im- 
pregnable to a dire(5l assault, and as the vallev is but 
about three and a half miles wide at this point, the 
enemy considered himself secure on reaching it, and be- 
gan to eredl breastworks across the valley from Fisher's 
Hill to North Mountain. vSo secure, in fadl, did he con- 
sider himself, that the ammunition boxes were taken 
from the caissons and placed for convenience behiiul the 
breastworks. On the evening of September 3oth, the 
Sixth and Nineteenth Corps went into position on the 
heights of Strasburg, the Eighth Corps north of Cedar 
Creek, the cavalry to the right and rear of the Sixth 
Corps, the Nineteenth on the extreme left, extending 



i;>8 cAkt'AiiGkiNG WitM siikkibANi 

towards Tree-Top Mountains. Sheridan determined td 
resort to his old trick of flanking, and the Eighth Corps 
was assigned to that duty. The movement to reach 
Little North Mountain had to be done with great secrecy, 
as the enemy had a signal station on Tree-Top Mountain, 
from which he could see every movement made by our 
troops. So, during the night of the 30th, the Eighth 
Corps were concealed in the timber north of Cedar 
Creek, where they remained during the day. 



chapte:r XXVI 



Story of the Miihiight Charge o7i Fisher s Hill . — 
Retreat Down the Valley. — Wholesale Destriidion 
of Property. — General Ross' Cavalry Chased for 
T"veiity-fve Aliles. 



SHERIDAN (lid not attempt to cover the long front 
presented by the enemy, but massed the Sixtli and 
Nhieteenth Corps opposite the right centre of his line. 

After Crook had gotten into the position last named, 
Sheridan took out Ricketts' Division of the Sixth Corps 
and placed it opposite the enemy's left centre, and 
directed Averill, with his cavalry, to go up on Ricketts' 
front and right and drive in the enemy's skirmish line, if 
possible. This was done, and the enemy's signal officer 
on Tree- Top Mountain, mistaking Ricketts' Division for 
Sheridan's turning column, so notified the enemy, and he 
made his arrangements accordingly ; while Crook, with- 
out being observed, moved on the side of Little North 
Mountain and struck the enemy's left and rear so sud- 
denly and unexpe(5tedly, that he (the enemy), supposing 
he must have come across the mountains, broke. 

On tlae same day, Wright and Emory moved up in 
front of the rebel lines, getting into proper position after 
a severe engagement between a portion of Ricketts' and 



200 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

Getty's Division of the Sixth Corps, and a strong force 
of the enemy. Torbert, with Wilson's and Merritt's 
Cavahy, was ordered down the Luray Valley in pnrsuit 
of the enemy's cavalry, and, after defeating- or driving it, 
to cross over Luray pike to Newmarket, and intercept 
the enemy's infantry, shoidd it be driven from its posi- 
tion at Fisher's Hill. 

On the night of the 2ist Crook was inoved to, and 
concentrated in, the timber near Stiasburg, and at day- 
light on the 22d marched to, and massed in, the timber 
near Little North Mountain. 

Crook came swinging down beliind the line, Ricketts 
swinging in and joining Crook, tlie Nineteenth Corps, 
charging across the ravine over the old stone bridge, 
pushing our way up the road, which wound around the 
hill, exposed to a tire from Gordon's Division, which 
had earthworks on the iiill across the ravine. Rushing 
up the steep hill in the dark, with nothing to illuminate 
the Egyptian dai kness but the Hash of the musketry and 
artillery, we reached the top, and, as the road opened 
on the flat table-land, the Third Massachusetts Cavalry 
and the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts were de|)loyed as 
skirmishers. 

Pushing ahead, we encountered Warrington's Division ; 
one volley and they went flying after ihe rest of Early's 
army. This battle was a surprise to all. Sheridan ordered 
the troops to advance at 4 o'clock the next morning, the 
23d. At about 6 P.M., on the 22(1, when the Sixth and 
Nineteenth Corps commanders reported, their troops 
were well up, and all ready to advance. Sheridan sayS, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SIIERIDAN. 201 

" That's very good." Gen. Crook of the Eighth Corps 
also reported tliat his men were well on the left flank of 
the rebel position, eager for the iight. Then the spirit 
of Sheridan showed itself, for he fonght in order and out 
of order ; he did n't have any fear of rides and regu- 
lations ; he never waited for the rebs to get ready. When 
he was ready he would fight. When Cook reported he 
was ready, Sheridan smiled. Bringing his hands to- 
gether with a slap, he exclainied to his stafl' officers: 

" Everything is all ready, gentlemen, and by we will 

jump them to-night. Order everything forward immedi- 
ately, and we will have a twist on them before daylight." 
And in we went with a will, and instead of charging at 
4 in the morning, were in Woodstock, eight miles be- 
yond the hill, with plenty of prisoners and sixteen can- 
nons, which they did not have time to remove. Unfortu- 
nately, the cavalry which had been sent down the Luray 
Valley to cross over to Newmarket was unsuccessful, and 
only reached so far as Milford, a point at which the 
Luray Valley contracts to a gorge, and which was taken 
possession of by the enemy's cavalry in some force. Had 
Gen. Torbert driven this cavalry, or turned the defile 
and reached Newmarket, no doubt we would have cap- 
tured the entire rebel army. It was certain that its rout 
from Fisher's Hill was such that there was scarcely a 
company organization held together. Newmarket being 
at a converging point in the valley, they came together 
again, and to some extent re-organized. C^n the morning 
of the 23d, Gen. Devens, with his small brigade of cav- 
alry, moved to a point dire(R;ly north of Mt. Jackson, 



202 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

driving the enemy in his front, and there awaited the 
arrival of Geni Averill's Division, which for some unac- 
countable reason went into camp immediately after the 
battle. Gen. Averill reached Devens' command at 3 
P.M., and in the evening returned with all the advance 
cavalry of which he was in command, to a creek one-half 
mile north of Hawkensburg, and tliere remained until 
the arrival of the head of the infantry column, which had 
halted between Edinburg and Woodstock for wagons, in 
order to issue the necessary rations. Early on the morn- 
ing of the 24th, the entire army reached Mt. Jackson, a 
small town on the north bank of the north fork of the 
Shenandoah. The enemy had, in the meantime, reor- 
ganized, and taken position on the bluHs south of the 
river, but had commenced this same morning his retreat 
towards Harrisonburg ; still he held a long and strong line 
with the troops that were to cover his rear in a temporary 
line of ritle-pits on the bluff commanding the plateau. 
To dislodge him from his strong position, Devens' brigade 
of cavalry was dire<5led to cross the Shenandoah, work 
around the base of the Massanutten Range, and drive in 
the cavalry which covered the enemy's right flank ; and 
Powell, who had succeeded Averill, was ordered to move 
around his left flank by the way of Timberville, whilst 
the infantry was rushed across the river by the bridge. 
The enemy did not wait till the full execution of these 
movements, but withdrew in haste, the cavalry under 
Davis coming up with him at Newmarket, and made a 
l)old attempt to hold him until our infantry could be 
pushed up, but was unable to tlo so, as the open, smooth 



tAk^AIGNING \VITH SilERlbANi 203 

country, allowed the enemy to retreat with great rapid- 
ity in line of battle, and the three or four hundred cav- 
alry under Davis was unable to break their line. Our 
infcxntry was pushed by heads of columns very hard to 
overtake and bring on an engagement, but could not suc- 
ceed, and encamped about six miles south of Newmarket 
for the night. 

Powell, meantime, hatl pushed on through Timber- 
ville, and gained the valley pike, near Lacy's Springs, 
capturing some prisoners and wagons. Tiiis movement 
of Powell's probably forced the enemy to abandon the 
road by the way of Harrisonburg, and move over the 
Keezeltown road to Port Repuldic, to which point the 
retreat was contiiuied through the night of the 24th, and 
from thence to Brown's Gap in the Blue Ridge. On the 
25th, the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps reached Harrison- 
burg. Crook was ordered to remain at the junction of 
the Keezeltown road with the Valley pike until the 
movements of the enemy were definitely ascertained. 
On this day Torbert reached Harrisonburg, having en- 
countered the euemy's cavalry at Surrey, defeating it, 
and joining us at Newmarket, and Powell had proceeded 
to Mount Crawford. 

On the 26th. Merritt's Division of Cavalry was ordered 
to Port Republic and Torbert to Staunton and Waynes- 
boro, to destroy the l)ridgc at the latter place, and in 
retiring to burn all forage, drive off all cattle, destroy all 
mills and everything that woidd cripple the rebel army 
or Confederacy. Torbert had with him Wilson's Division 
of Cavalry, and Lowell's Brigade of Regulars. On the 



20} CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

27th, while Torbert was making his advance on Waynes- 
boro, Menitt was ordered to make a demonstration on 
Brown's Gap to cover the movement. This brought out 
the enemy (who had been re-enforced by Kershaw's 
Division, which came through vSwift-run Gap) against 
the small force of cavalry employed in this demonstra- 
tion, which he followed up to Port Repulilic, and which 
it crossed in some force. Merritt's instructions were to 
resist an attack ; but, if pressed, to fall back to Cross 
Keyes, in which event it was intended to attack with the 
main force, which was at Harrisonburg, and could be 
rapidly moved to Cross Keyes. The enemy, however, 
advanced with his main force only to Port Republic, 
after which he fell back. That day Torbert took posses- 
sion of Waynesboro, and partially destroyed the railroad 
bridge, but about dark, on the 2Sth, was attacked by 
infantry and cavalry, returned to Staunton and Frouther's 
to Bridgewater by the way of Springhill, executing the 
order for the destruction of subsistence, forage, etc. 

On the morning of the 3Stli, Merritt was ordered to 
Port Republic to open commimication with Gen. Tor- 
bert, but on the same night was directed to leave small 
forces at Port Republic and Swift-run Gap, and proceed 
with the balance of his command (ids own and Custer's 
Division) to Piedmont, swing around from tiiat point to 
near Staunton, burning forage, mills, and such other 
property as might be serviceable to the rebel army or 
Confederacy, and on his return to go into camp on the 
left of the Sixth and Nineteentii Corps, which were 
ordered to proceed on the 39th to Mount Crawford, in 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 205 



support of this and Torbert's movements. September 
29th, Torbert reached Bridgewater, and Merritt Mount 
Crawford. On the ist of Oc^tober, Merritt rc-occupied 
Port Republic, and the Sixth ant! Nineteenth Corps was 
moved back to Harrisonburg, remaining in camp until 
the morning of the 6th, when we commenced moving 
back, stretching the cavalry across the valley from Blue 
Ridge to the eastern sloj^e of the AUeghanies, with 
dired;ions to burn all forage, and drive ofl'all stock, etc., 
as they moved to the rear, fully coinciding in the views 
and instructions of the Lieiitenant-General tliat the val- 
ley should be made a barren waste. The luost positive 
orders were given, however, not to burn dwellings. In 
this movement the enemy's cavalry followed at a respect- 
ful distance until in the vicinity of Woodstock, when 
they attacked Custer's Division and pursued it as far as 
Louisbrook, a short distance south of Fisher's Hill. We 
had been annoyed by Rosser's Cavalry, and Sheridan 
halted the army and ordered Torbert to go and wipe out 
Rosser's Cavalry, and he would let the army rest and see 
him do it. On the morning of October 9th, Brig. -Gen. 
Merritt, commanding this division, was on the back road 
at Tumble Run. These two roads, as a general thuig, 
are parallel, and from two and one-half to three miles 
apart. Brig. -Gen. Custer, being about six miles from 
Brook Creek, was ordered to move at daylight back on 
the back road, and attack as soon as met. Brig. -Gen. 
Merritt. being near ]3rook Creek and the enemy, was 
directed to move, about 7 a.m., one brigade in the pike, 
and two brisrades between the roads, and conneded with 



206 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

Brig. -Gen. Custer and the brigade on the pike. The 
enemy's force was as follows: On the hack road, under 
Gen. Rosser, three brigades, from three thousand to 
thirty-five hundred men ; on the pike, under Generals 
Lomax and Bradley Johnson, one thousand to fifteen 
hundred men. 

Gen. Custer's guns were heard early in the morning, 
on Brook Creek, and Brig. -Gen. Merritt moved to the 
attack, and to make a connedlion with Gen. Custer; 
Col. Lowell, commanding reserve brigade. First Di- 
vision, moved on the pike and attacked Lomax and 
Johnson ; the first brigade, First Division, moved on the 
right to connect with Gen. Custer, and to attack the 
enemy on the right flank ; the second brigade. First 
Division, moved in the centre. After a spirited engage- 
ment for about two hours, the enemy, seeing that they 
were being flanked and severely pressed in front, gave 
way in great confusion, which was immediately taken 
advantage of by both division commanders. The enemy 
endeavored to rally several times, but were unable to 
stand the desperate charges made b}' Torbert's men, and 
they were driven in a perfetrt rout for twenty miles ; the 
First Division (Brig. -Gen. Merritt) on the pike pursuing 
them beyond Mt. Jackson ; the Third Division (Gen. 
Custer) in the back road, pursuing them beyond Colum- 
bia Furnaces. 

The First Division (Gen. Merritt) captured five pieces 
of artillery (all they had on the road, except one), their 
advance ambulances antl wagon trains, and sixty pris- 
oners. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 207 



The Third Division (Gen. Custer) captured six pieces 
of artillery (all they had on the hack road), all of their 
headquarter wagons, ordnance, ambulances and wagon 
trains. 

There could have hardly heen a more complete victory 
and rout. The cavalry totally covered themselves with 
glory, and added to their long list of vi6lories the most 
brilliant one of them all. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

Battle of Cedar Creek. — Gen. Wright in Command. 
Midnight Mareh from Fisher Hill. — Surprised by 
the Rebels. — A Wonderful Flank Movement Suc- 
cessfully Accomplished. 



ON the morning- of the loth, the Nineteenth Corps 
and the Eii^hth Corps continued their march from 
Strashuri;- Pike to Cedar Creek, ;,^oing into camp on both 
sides of the })ike. The Sixth Corps marched from Stras- 
burg on the Front Ro}a] njad toward Manassas Gap. 
This was the hrst day's march of this corps to return to 
Gen. Grant at Petersburg. It was the intention that it 
should proceed tlnough Manassas Gap to Piedmont east 
of tlie Blue Ridge, to which point the Manassas Gap 
Railroad had been completed, and from thence to Alex- 
andria by rail ; but on Sheridan's recommendation that 
it would be much better to march it, as it was in fine 
condition, through Ashby Gap, and thence to Washing- 
ton, the former route was abandoned, and on the uth, 
the corps moved toward Ashby Gap. 

Everything remained quiet, but reconnoissance towartl 
Fisk's Ilill was the order of the day. On the 12th, 
Thoburn's Division of the Eighth Corps had moved in 
that direction without discovering any signs of Early. 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 209 



The men were eating their dinner, the officers were 
sitting at the table (h'inking hot cotlee, when that pccnliar 
whizzing sound came througli the air, and a large shell 
dropped near the tent. Another and another followed in 
quick succession. The long roll was sounded, and the 
line was formed with Wells' Brigade on the left and 
Harris' on the right. 

Early had pushed through Fisher's Hill to Hupp's 
Hill and opened fire on the dinner party. The two bri- 
gades quickly descended the slope and started tor the 
guns, but Early was in force, and throwing out Conners' 
Brigade of Kershaw's Division, drove Harris back, but 
Wells' Brigade did not know this until Coiniers had 
gained his right fiank, and he had to retreat lively. Our 
loss was lietween two and three hundred, the Thirty- 
fourth Massachusetts losing o\cv one huntlred. The gal- 
lant and brave C'ol. Wells of this regiment was killed at 
this time. This sudden and unexpected movement of 
Early's was of the utmost importance to us, for if Early 
meant more fighting with a large force, Sheridan did not 
want to weaken his force l)y letting the Sixth Corps go. 
An aide was instantly despatched to Gen. Wright with 
orders to return immediately. The corps was just ford- 
ing the Shenandoah River opposite Ashl)y Gap. They 
were at once faced about, and arrived at Cedar Creek at 
noon on the 14th, taking position on the right and rear 
of the Nineteenth Corj)s, ready to move to any position 
where they might be needed. 

The Union position was an echelon of three lines, 
posted on three separate crests of moderate height. The 



210 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

left and most atlvanccd crest was licld Iw the Army of 
Western Virginia ; the central one, not a mile in the rear 
of the first, by the Tenth Corps; the right and rearmost 
by the Sixth Corps. Crook commanded the first step of 
the echelon, Emory the second, Wright the third. He- 
hind Crook's left, and at right angles to it, gnarding 
against turning movements from that ([uarter, lay a force 
about eciuivalent to a brigade, known as Kitching's Pro- 
visional I)i\isi()n. The fronts, and to some extent the 
Hanks of the Army of Western Virginia and of the Nine- 
teenth Corps, were strengthened by breastworks of logs 
and earth with batteries in position. Between these'two 
commands ran the Strasl)in\g and Winchester j^Ike, the 
great highway of this part of the valley. The entire 
echelon occupied by the infantry and artillery, was at 
least three miles in length, in addition to which the roll- 
ing country on the right of the Sixth Corps was occupied 
by Torbert's superb Cavalry. In front the position was 
impregnable except by a surprise, and to turn it was an 
enterprise so dangerous that it was hardly dreaded. 

Gen. Sheridan determined to visit Washington, and 
on the evening of the 15th, he started, taking the whole 
of the cavalry with him. On his arrival at Front Royal, 
Gen. Wright of the Sixth Corps, who was left in 
command of the army, sent the following despatch to 
Sheridan, which was taken from the rebel signal flag on 
Tree-Top Mountain : 

" Be ready to move as soon as my re-enforcements reacli you, 
and crush Slicridan's army. 

(Signed) Longstreet," 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 211 

If Karlv should he !>troiii;;ly ro-enlbrcecl it nii^lil, tiiiise us 
oousiderahle trouhle on our right Hank, I shall make every 
preparation to guard all the iniportant points. 

(Signed) WRIGHT. 

On the receipt of thi.s despatch, Sheridan sciit hack all 
of the cavalry, and ordered (Jen. Wri;j^ht to close in. Col. 
i^owell's Cavalry to cover the left tlank of onr army, lint 
Wright neglecteil to close in Powell, and Early's army 
moved at midnight. .Silence was essential to snccess. 
Canteens and tlippers were left behind for fear their 
rattling wonld betray them to the pickets. I'orty pieces 
of artillery were massed at Fisher's Hill, leady to move 
at the hist sound of battle, for an eailier advance might 
give the alarm by the rinnbling of heavy wheels at mid- 
night over the macadamized road. Early accompanied 
Kershaw's centre column. 

The colimm came in sight of the Union camp-tires at 
about 4 o'clock. The moon shining brightly, the white 
tents of the Union army were in full \ iew of Early's men, 
who were shivering in the chill night air. The Confed- 
erate Chieftain gathered his connnanders and stalfaltout 
him, and pointing to the Union camp, explained to them 
thoroughly the movement of each brigade and division. 
This was to be the last council, not to meet again until 
.Sheridan's army was annihilated and destroyed. 

The Union camps on the hills and the creek were 
slumbering. Jackson's old Corps and a brigade of cav- 
alry was stealing along the base tjf the mountain, to gain 
the rear of the Union camp. At 5 o'clock, Kershaw 
moved forward ; the report of mnskctry on the Confeder- 



212 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



ate left, told tiiat Ross' Cavalry were on the hack road 
to attack Custer, and this was the signal tor the attack. 
Kershaw (|incklv niovetl down the creek, ami the moon 
vanished from si^ht, caused hy a lliick fog, and under its 
c()\er the Confederates pushed on. 

There was a moment indeed, when the audacious col- 
umn trod on the brink of destruction. About 2 o'clock 
in the morning, the pickets of the I'ifth New York Heavy 
Artillerv, ser\ing as infantrv in Kitching's Division, 
heard a rustling t)f underbrush and a mnllled trampling. 
Two pickets were relieved and sent into camp with the 
inlormation. Gen. Crook ordered his command to be 
on the alert, and most of the front line went into trenches. 
But there was not a private in the army, and hardly an 
officer, who l)elicvcd that the often-beaten and badly- 
beaten Early would \enture an attack. No reconnois- 
sance was sent out to see if the alarms were well foundetl ; 
the gaps in the front line caused by the detachment of 
regiments on picket were not tilled up from the reserve ; 
and when the assault took place, it fountl manv muskets 
unloaded. 

Under cover of the tiring, Kershaw's column swept 
through Crook's pickets without responding to their 
scattering musketry, and took most of Iheii" i)ro\ isions. 
The men in the trenches, unable to see what was going 
on, and receiving no timelv notice from the out]:)osts, 
llred to(j late, or, caught \\ ith unloaded rifles, did not Hre 
at all. 

Inhere was a bloody struggle over the breastworks, but 
it did not last five minutes. Through the umnannecl 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. '213 

gnps ill the lines poured the rcliels in a roaring torrent, 
antl tlien came a l)rief massacre, followed by lasting" panic 
antl disorganization. Less than a quarter of an hour of 
that infernal musketry and yelling, which we heard so 
j)lainly and understood so imperfecitly, changed the gal- 
lant Army of West Virginia — that army which had 
charged with such magnificent success at Winchester 
and Straslnirg — into a mass of fugitives, hurrying liack 
upon the position of the Nineteenth Corps. 

There were regiments, indeed, which fought with a 
steadiness worthy of their ancient reputation, but no 
considerable nor continuing line of resistance was estab- 
lished an3where after the first break, and the rebel ad- 
vance was only checked to re-form. No daybreak rush 
of moccasined savages was ever more silently, rapidly 
and dexterously executed than this charge of Kershaw. 

The Second Battalion of the Fifth New York Heavy 
Artillery was taken on the picket line almost entire; and 
the resistance of the whole command was so momentary 
that, while it lost seven hundred, it had iiardly one hun- 
dred killed and wounded. 

Now came the turn of the Nineteenth Corps to fight 
alone. The Army of West Virginia hail temporarily 
disappeared as an organization, and the Sixth Corps was 
menaced by ca\alry and light artillery, covering no one 
knew what force of infantry. 

The Third Brigade, Secontl Dixision, were the most 
advanced troops of the Nineteenth Corps. The I'irsl 
Maine Battery was on tiie knoll at the right of tlie Itri- 
gade. We had cooked our breakfast, antl were standing 



214 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

around the camp-fire waiting for the order to fall in, as 
we were ordered to go on a reconnoissance with the rest 
of the division, when suddenly the reports of musketry 
were heard on the right in the diredion of the Sixth 
Corps pickets, then came the volleys and the rebel yell 
in the direction of the Eighth Corps on the left. We 
immediately took position in the earthworks in front of 
our camp. 

A four-gun battery opened fire from the direction 'of 
the brick house on our right, their shell and solid shot 
raking our camp. The First Maine replied to them, 
guided only l)y the report and Hash, for the fog was so 
heavy and thick, nothing could be distinguished twenty 
yards away. Gen. Dan McCauley of Indiana, command- 
in<r the brigade at this time, ordered a detail to go over 
the earthworks, down the hill to the creek. It fell to 
my lot to be one of the detail, and over the earthworks, 
and through the abattis, and creeping close to the edge 
ol' the creeks, the panorama of the rebel army was in full 
view. A line of infantry coming down the hill slowly 
in our front. Artillery and wagons on the pike near the 
bridge. I'^ordlng the creeks below the bridge was the 
rebel army, moving in the direction of the Eighth Corps. 
W^ith a glance I took in the whole situation, and having 
no desiic to visit rebel prisons, I did n't linger long, but 
hurried back to report. There had been no musketry 
firing up to this time in our front. Telling Gen. 
McCauley the position, and then reporting to the First 
Maine Battery, which still kept up the artillery duel on 
the right, telling him that the rebel army was at the 



CAMPAIGNING Wltll SiiEUIDAN. 215 

bridge, turning his guns in tliat diredtion, we could hear 
the shell crasliing througli the covered way. Reaching 
my regiment, the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts, the tog 
had lifted so as to disclose the rebel line in our front. 



CHAPTER XXVIIl. 

Battle of Cedar Creek. — The Morning Conjiid. — 
Cavalry Ordered to Left Flatik. — Vermont Troops 
Check the Rebels. — The Artny Marching to a N'eiv 
Li?te in Good Order. 



^~\''^E iiiiniediately opened fire on the rebels, and 
V V they replying, made things lively. Soon came 
"Zip! zip!" from onr rear. Gen. Dan McCanle}- 
ordered his aide, Lient. II. E. Macomber, to go to the 
rear and tell the First Division to stop firing in onr 
direction, as we were still holding our earthworks. lie 
went (juick, l)iit he came l)ack quicker, and reported 
that the rebel army was crossing the pike in our rear, 
and the shots came from them. He did not tell them to 
stop firing, for he did n't think they would care a d — n. 
The tiring coming heavier in our front and rear, we 
could n't hold out long. The First Maine J^altery started 
to save their guns, and they had to go down a steep hill 
in their rear, as the Johnnies objefted to their going the 
regular way. Some of their gims became overturned. 
They had tried hard to save them, but it was no go. 
Gen. McCauley being wounded at this time, the order 
to retreat was given, and we slovvlv fell back, Macomber 



campau;nin(; with sheridan. 217 

performing a gallant ac*-^ in taking the wounded General 
on his horse and carrying hini safely to the rear. 

Gordon's column, solidly massed, came swiftly up the 
slope, disdaining to reply to our pickets, and driving 
them with the mere weight of its advance. Here, as 
everywhere throughout the battle, the enemy knew our 
ground perfectly, and in consequence moved over it 
without wasting their time in reconnoitering, or their 
troops in skirmishing. It was this amazing rapidity ot 
maiiffiuvre — this audacity which could not be foreseen 
nor guarded against — that l)cat us. Gordon's position 
was now on a liroad, bare hill, of which the south- 
western declivity sloped gently toward the camp ot the 
Nineteenth Corps, and commanded it. From the mo- 
ment that he held it we were sure to go, for ten thousand 
men there could easily drive out tv\'enty thousand here, 
taken as we were in the reverse. The rebel force on this 
side, including the division of Ramseur and Pegram, was 
as strong as Emory's, and it was supported by another 
colimm almost as numerous, coming up through the 
woods on our left, and along the pike in our front. The 
Nineteenth Corps was not only attacked in the rear, but 
was outnumbered. It might hold on for an hour, and so 
it did hold on for a hopeless, sanguinary hour, but that 
was all that mortals could do. 

The Twelfth Connec-licut fired three volleys at close 
quarters before it was forced into the retreat. About the 
same time, Gen. Emory ordered two brigades across the 
pike with instructions to face toward the crest on which 
Gen. Gordon was beginning to show himself. The 



218 CAM1'AIGNIN(; WITlr SlIERIDAisr. 

remaining three brigades of the corps continued at the 
breastworks. A roar of musketry from the woods told 
us that McMillan's Second Brigade, First Division, had 
opened its struggle, but did not tell us how hopelessly 
it was outmatched, flaidvcd on the left by Ramseur, and 
charged in front and on the right by Kershaw. 

Gen. Molineaux ordered the second brigade, Second 
Division, into the rifle pits, and detached the Twenty- 
second Iowa and the Third Massachusetts Cavalry to 
support the battery which commanded the pike in front 
of the bridge. By this time a battery of the enemy, 
directly in front on the other side of the creek, opened a 
fire of shell upon us, and the mist breaking from the 
valley, discovered a line, apparently prepared to attack 
us. It was not long before a fire of shell, enfilading our 
line from the left, with another directly in our rear, and 
a sharp musketry fire from the same direction (the posi- 
tion occupied by the Eighth Corps) showed us that the 
enemy had outflanked us. We sheltered ourselves as 
much as possible in the rifle-pits and awaited orders. In 
the meantime, the troops on our left and the batteries 
passed us, together with the two regiments of this brigade 
which had been sent in support of the batteries, all ap- 
parently striving toward the pike (these two regiments 
mentioned rejoined us subsequently), and finding that we 
were completely outflanked, that the retreat was general, 
anil that the men were rapidly frilling from a fire they 
could not return, and that a line of bhttlc was being 
formed in the rear by the Sixth Corps, we moved out by 
the flank in good order, detaching the Eleventh Indiana, 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 211) 



by order of Gen. Emory, to hold the hollow and stone 
wall near the headquarters of tlic Second Division. 

Two advanced bri<^ades were pushed back b^- the fire 
which came up the pike. (Gordon's Division was now 
deployed at the crest, stretchin<^ far behind, holding a 
mound in rear of grounds wiiere both Sheridan and 
Emory had pitched their headciuarters. It could clearly 
be seen that the battle on our present line was lost be- 
yond redemption — was, indeed, already roaring and 
smoking half a mile to the rear. The Sixth Corps was 
pushing toward the woods behind the headquarters, and 
endeavoring to regain possession of the pike, but with 
doubtful prospects of success. Gordon, extending con- 
stantly by the right, and supported by the full force of 
Ramseur and Pegram, seemed to be outflanking them 
as he had previously outflanked us. Except the two 
brigades of Birge and Davis, all our Nineteenth Corps, 
unable to rally on an uncovered slope, was retreating 
across the front and toward the right of the Sixth Cor])s. 
The struggle to retain possession of our camp was over. 
Birges' and Davis' l^rigades filed in good order down a 
stony slope overgrown witii thickets, forded Cedar Creek 
and mounted the irregular height on the right of the 
Sixth Corps. Here they formed line of battle along a 
low crest, over which Kershaw's bidlets were singing. 

In front of us, firing from the undulating plateau wdiich 
we had just quitted, we could see the rebel infanlry. For 
a few minutes, the battle was sharp here, and then it 
slowly swept rearward again. It was Early's continually 
extendinsc rijjht which turned us. 



*i'iO CAMPAIGNING WITH Sll l-;i! IDAN. 



Gen. ]?ir<Tc was in the rear of his brigade, and look- 
ing toward tlic pike ordered a retreat. The vSjxth Corps 
was retiring, and we were in danger of being entihided. 
A thousand yards furtlier to the rear the line again 
halted, fronted and oijened (Ire, while strenuous elVoits 
were made to re-organize the mass of stragglers who were 
sauntering across the fields toward Winchester. Chase's 
Battery, and what remained of Tafts', went into position, 
and for an hour the battle raged with fur\-, our men 
standing to their work with the persevering courage of 
veterans, and then once more went slowly to the rear, 
the movement commencing inevital)ly on the left, where 
the Sixth Corps was anew outllanked ])y that indefati- 
gable Gordon. Fifteen hundred yards fuither back we 
again turned at bay. The men hastily gathered rails and 
and threw up rude lield-works under a long-range lire of 
the enemy's artillery. The Nineteenth and Sixtli Corps 
were united. We had succeeded, at last, in dragging 
our lelt Hank out of the grasp of Gordon. We were in 
condition to fight a defensive battle. 

Ramscur and Pegram, who were on the riglit con- 
fronting the Union left, but not Hanking it, for at last we 
were clear of their flanking columns, Hiuling that they 
could not push the Union lines any fartlier, sent word 
to Gen. Early that they must have some assistance, 
and accordingly Gen. Warrington, wiio had just crossed 
Cedar Creek, was ordered to their support, and they 
once more advanced, but the second division of the Sixth 
Corps, under command of Gen. Lewis Grant, with the 
Vermont Brigade in the centre, a part of tlie lirst division. 



CAMPAIGNING WI'l H SIIKRIDAN. 221 

Nineteenth Corps, on the ri;j;ht, vvatclied the lulvancc of 
Ramseui", Pe<;rani and \Variini;ton. (jiant ordered his 
men to wait nntil tiiey eame to close ijuartei's. Tlien 
tlie orders, ''Fire!" " Ciiar<;e ! " and ri<jjht j^alhintly 
went tlie oKl second (h\ ision ot" tiie Sixth Corps ; hack for 
qnite a (Hstance went the three (hvisions of rehs. This 
was the lirst ciieci^ that tliey had liad since inornin<^. 
Early immediately placed lifteen pieces of artillery in 
position on a hill covering- the retreat of his division, 
and commandin<4' (iranl's position, (jen. Writ^ht, at 
this time, sent an order to fall back, and the old war 
horse, with his brave and sturdy Vermonters, reluctantly 
obeyed. 

Gen. Wright, commanding the army, ordered the 
whole cavalrv force to move ti(jm the right to the left 
of the armv ; but (jen. 'I'orbert, on his own responsi- 
bility, left three regiments to [)ickel the right, and to this 
fact thousands of our men were indebted for their safety, 
for this brave man held this position against g^eat odds 
for five hours. 

The First and Third I )ivisions, ( lencrals Merritt and 
Custer, were ordered to the left of the army. Mcrritt's 
Division was put in position across the pike just north 
of Midtlletovvn. Custer was formed on the left of tiie 
First Division. The first brigade. Second Division, Col. 
Moore commanding, was formed on the left of the Third 
Division. The Horse I^atteries, B and L, Second Artil- 
lery, U.S.A., Lieut. Taylor commanding, was left on tlie 
right, fighting on the infantry line, where it did admir- 
able service, and was the last artillery to leave the front. 



222 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



Too much praise cannot be given to the officers and 
men of this batterx, for their coohiess and gaUantry on 
this occasion. When the infantry was forced back, and 
the battery was obliged to retire, it joined its brigade on 
the right of the pike, where it immediately went into 
atrtion. As soon as the cavalry was in position on the 
left of the army, they attacked the enemy. Col. Lowell, 
commanding reserve brigade. First Division, dismounted 
a part of his little band, and thev advanced to a strong 
position behind a stone wall, from which the enemy's 
infantry failed to drive them after repeated attempts. 
Tlie cavalry fought infimtry and artillery only on the left 
of the army. 

About 13 o'clock, M., the cavalry was moved to the 
left about three hundred yards, thus bringing it on the 
left of the pike. Thus matters stood with the cavalry 
until about 3 p.m., holding on to their ground with more 
than their usual dogged persistence, displaying gallantry 
which has never been surpassed, while the infantry was 
re-formiiig several miles on their right and rear. 

During this time the second brigade. Second Division, 
Col. Powell commanding, fell back slowly (by order) on 
the Front Royal and Winchester pike to Stony Point, 
and then to a point near Newtown, followed by the rebel 
Gen. Lomax's Division of Cavalry, where they remained 
during the greater part of the day. Col. Powell thus 
prevented the enemy's cavalry from getting on the pike 
to attack our trains in the rear. 

On the left the battle was going well for us ; in fact, 
it could not be otherwise with th^ cool and invincible 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



Merritt on tlie ground, supported by such soldiers as 
Devens ami Lowell. 

At this time the first brigade, Second Division, was 
temporaril}' under the orders of Gen. Merritt, who was 
constantly annoying and attacking the enemy whenever 
an opportunity presented itself; although his men were 
completely within range of the enemy's sharpshooters, 
his shot and shell, and many a horse and rider was maile 
to bite the dust. They held their ground like men of 
steel ; otticers and men seemed to know and feel that the 
safety of the army, in no small degree, depended upon 
their holding their position, and they can never receive 
too much credit for the manner iu which they did their 
duty. The rebels felt this check, and Early became very 
anxious, for demoralized troops that could meet and 
drive back his three divisions, was a warning which 
he must heed. 

We supposed we should make a stand in this position. 
But we had been driven off the pike ; and as it was 
necessary to recover it before we could consider our 
communication secure. Gen. Wright again ordered the 
whole army to retreat. No longer disturbed by the fire 
of the enemy, the line filed into columns of march by 
regiments. 

The columns were three miles from the point where 
the fight had commenced, and we had lost one battle ; 
we had lost camps, line of earthworks, twenty-four guns 
and twelve hundred prisoners ; we had not been routed, 
but we had been badly beaten. The battle of the morn- 
insr and of the afternoon were two different combats. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

The Battle of Cedar Creek. — SJieridan's Ride. — 
Battle of the Afternoon. — A Brilliant Word- Pic- 
ture. — Defeat of Early. — / 'ictory for the Union 
Troops. 



IN the meantime, Sheridan had returned from Wash- 
ington, .stayino- one night at Winchester. On the 
morning of the 19th, the Lieutenant in charge of the 
pickets reported to him that there was heavy artillery 
Hring in the direction of Cedar Creek. Thinking that it 
was only a reconnoitre which did not amount to much, 
he ordered his breakfast, and soon after started for the 
front, riding out on the pike. When he came to Mill 
Creek, he for the tirst time recognized that something 
had happened, for some stragglers and wagons were 
coming toward W^inchester. Asking an oificer in charge 
ot the train what was the cause of this movement, he 
soon learned of the disaster of the morning. Immediately 
grasping the situation with that quick perception with 
which he was gifted, he ortlered the train packed, and a 
line of guards to stop stragglers, and telling the men to 
face the other way, he rushed up the pike. Meeting 
more men, he told them to face about and follow, and he 
would lick the whole d — n rebel army. When he got 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 



there, the men knew him, and with a cheer they turned 
and marched toward the front. Every man felt the in- 
spiration of this leatler. 

While this singular transformation was yoing on in 
the rear, the army was not idle. Gen. Wright had or- 
dered the line once more to fall hack. We had just taken 
up our new position, when avva>- hack in our rear we 
could hear a faint cheer. Louder antl louder, nearer and 
nearer it came, the troops in line wondering wdiat it 
could mean, and still the cheering was coming nearer 
and nearer. It reached the line of i)attle on the pike, 
passing from rc^giment to regiment, division to division. 
Flags were waving, men were throwing their hats high 
in the air, shouting for jov, for we now had a leader. 
We had seen him at ()pec|uan antl at Fisher Hill, and 
knew now that there was to he no more retreat. 

Sheridan hrst orderetl the army to the last position it 
had just left. It was only a short distance in advance. 
The whole army felt the electric etiect of tlie movement. 
It was the Hrst advance of the day. No more retreating. 
We were advancing and Sheridan hatl ordered it. 

Col. Moore, commanding First Brigade, Second Di- 
vision, was ordered to join his division at Newtown, ami 
Col. Powell, commanding the division was direL^ed to 
shove out a strong force to hold the Front Royal and 
Winchester pike. Ahout this time, in a charge, the 
gallant but lamented Lowell received a severe wound in 
the arm and side, hut still kept his saddle. 

Gen. Torbert, was ordered to send one division of 
cavalry on the right of the army, and Gen. Custer's 
15 



226 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

Division was immediately sent to that position, where it 
arrived just in the nick of time, for the enemy had just 
succeeded in crossing — infantry and cavahy — over 
Cechxr Creek, on the right of the army. But the gaHant 
Custer was equal to the emergency. He immediately 
charged the cavalry, and drove tiiem about a mile in the 
most beautiful manner behind their infantry support, 
from which they did not show themselves in force again 
during the day. 

Then for two hours Sheridan rode along the front, 
studying the ground and encouraging the men. " Boys, 
if I liad been liere this never should have- happened," he 
said in his animated, earnest way. "• I tell you it never 
should have Iiappened. And now we are going back to 
our camps. We are going to get a twist on them. We 
are going to lick them out of their boots." 

The Sixth Corps held the pike and its vicinity. On 
the right the Nineteenth Corps was formed in double 
line, under cover of a dense wood, the First Division on 
the right, the Second on the left. The line threw up a 
rude l)reastwork of stones, rails and trees, covered by 
tiie advanced line and by a strong force of skirmishers 
stationed in front, but still within the forest. 

For two hours all was silence, preparation, reorgani- 
zation and suspense. Then came a message from Sher- 
idan to Emory that the enemy in column were advancing 
against tlie Nineteenth Corps, and shortly afterwards 
the column appeared among the light and shadows of 
the woods, making for the centre of our second division. 
There w^s an avyful rattle of musketry, which the forest 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SIIEKIDAN. 227 



re-echoed with a deep roar, and when the firin<2^ stopped 
and the smoke cleared away, no enemy was yisil)le. 
Emory imme(hatel\' sent w ord to .Sheridan that the attack 
had been repnised. 

"Tliat's good ! that's good!" Sherichm answered, 
g'aily. " Thaids (iod tor tliat ! Now, tiien, tell (Jen. 
Emory if they attack him again, to go alter them and to 

follow them up, and to sock it to them ; give them . 

We '11 get the tightest twist on them yet that ever yon 
saw. We'll have all tiiose camps and camion back 
again." 

All this with the nervous animation characteristic of 
the man, the eager and conlident smile, and the energetic 
gesture of the right hand down into the palm of the left 
at every repetition of the idea of attack. 

At 3.30 came the orders to advance the entire line, 
the Nineteenth Corps to move in conne(!'tion with the 
Sixth, the right of the Nineteenth to swing towards the 
left, so as to drive the enemy upon the pike. 

The enemy's left was his strongest point, Kershaw's 
Division and Gordon's, which had moved from Early's 
right, and Rossei's Cavalry, which hatl crossed Cedai- 
Creek on the back road, being suppoited by successive 
wooded crests, while his right ran out to the pike across 
inidulating, open tields, which presented no natural line 
of resistance. 

Sheridan's plan was to push them ot^' the crest by a 
turning movement of our right, and then, when they 
were doubled up on the pike, sling his cavalry at theni 
across the Middletown meadows. 



228 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

With a solemn tranquility of demeanor our infantry 
rose from the position where it had been lying, and ad- 
vanced through the forest into the open ground beyond. 
There was a silence of suspense ; then came a screaming, 
cracking, iiumming rush of shell ; then a prolonged roar 
of musketry, mingled with the long-drawn yell of our 
charge ; then the artillery ceased, the musketry died into 
sputtering bursts, and over all the yell rose triumphant. 
Everything on the first line, the stone walls, the advanced 
crest, the tangled wood, the half-finished breastworks, 
had been carried. The first body of rebel troops to 
break and fly was Gordon's Division, the same which 
so perseveringly flanked on our left in the morning, now 
flanked by our own first division of the Nineteenth Corps. 

After this there was a lull in the assault, though not in 
the battle. The rebel artillery re-opened spitefully from 
a new position, and our musketry responded from the 
crest and wood which we had gained. 

Sheridan dashed along the front reorganizing the line 
for a second charge, cheering the men with his confident 
smile and emphatic assurance of success, and giving his 
orders in person to brigade, division and corps com- 
manders. He took special pains with the direction of 
the Nineteenth Corps, wheeling it in such manner as to 
face square towards the pike, and form nearly a right 
angle to the enemy's front. The same movement was 
developed here as at Fisher Hill — a left half-wheel. So 
close did Sheridan make the wheel that we came under 
the fire of the Sixth Corps for a short time. The cavalry 
did their part in a truly lively manner. 



CAMPAIGNING WITil SIIERIDAN. 229 

It was in this <Tenei"al advance that Col, Lowell of 
the Second Massachusetts Cavalry, while charging- at 
the head of his brigade, received a second wound which 
proved to be mortal. Thus the service lost one of the 
most gallant and accomplished of soldiers. He was a 
gallant cavahy otHcer, and his memorv will never die 
in the command. 

In the general advance. Gen. Custer, commanding 
Third Division, left three regiments to attend to the 
cavalry in his front, and started with the balance of his 
division to take part in the advance against the enemv's 
infantry. Thus the cavalry advanced on both flanks 
side by side with the infantry, charging the enemy's line 
with an impetuosity which they could not stand. 

Now came a second charge upon a second line of stone 
walls, crests and thickets, executed with as mucli enthu- 
siasm and rapidity as if the army liad just come into 
acStion. Remember that we had eaten nothing since the 
previous evening ; that we had lost our canteens and 
were tormented with thirst ; that we had been lighting 
and mann?uvering, frequently at double-quick, for nearly 
twelve hours, and that we were sadly diminished in 
numbers by the slaughter and confusion of the morning. 
Remember that this last battle was retrieved without a 
re-enforcement. Only veterans, and veterans of the best 
quality — disci))lined, intelligent and l)ravc — could put 
forth such a supreme effort. 

Tlie battle was over. Cavalry on the flanks and in- 
fantry centre, the second line was carried with tiie same 
rush and with even sfreater ease than the first. 



230 CAMl'AlONlNG WITH SIllUUDAN. 



Aj^aiii Early's army was " whirlinu^ up the valley " in 
more helpless confusion liiis time than after Winchester 
or vStrasl)urg, no exertions of the rebel othcers being suf- 
licient to establish another line of resistance, or to check 
even momentarily the How and spread of the panic. 

But tlie hghting soon swept far ahead of the tired in- 
fantry, which followed in perfert peace over the ground 
that during the morning it had stained with the blood of 
its retreat. Dead and woinuled men, dead and woimded 
horses, dismounted guns, broken-down caissons, muskets 
with tiieir stocks shivered and their barrels bent double 
by shot, splinters of shells, Ixittered bullets. The lunnber 
of slauglitered horses was truly extraordinary, showing 
how largely the cayalr\ had been used, and how ()l)sti- 
nately the artillery had been fought. 

It was nearly ilark when our corps reached its camps. 
No new arrangement of the line was attempted. In the 
twiliglil of exening the regiments iileil into the same 
position that they had quitted in the twilight of dawn ; 
and the tired soldiers lay down to rest among dead com- 
rades and tlead enemies. They had lost everything. 
Their shelter tents, knajisacks, canteens and haversacks 
had been plundered b\- the rebels, and they slept that 
night as they fought tliat day, without food. But there 
was no rest for the enemy or for oiu" cavalry. All the 
way from our camps to Strasburg, a distance of four 
miles, the pike was strewn with the del)ris of a beaten 
army, and the scene in .Strasl)urg itself was such a flood 
of confused flight as no other defeat of the war can 
parallel. Guns, caissons, ammunition wagons, baggage 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SIIKUIDAN. "i.'il 



wagons mid amlnilauccs l)y the hundred, with dead or 
entangled and strut;t;lini;' horses, were janimed in the 
streets of the httie town, inipe(hn;4" alike tiii^ilixes and 
pursuers. 



C H A P T E R X X X . 

Gathering in the Spoils. — Thanks of Congress. — 
The Second Division Ordered to go to Savannah., 
Ga. — Great Destriidion of Property in the Shen- 
andoah. 



T TTIIE viftory was pushed, as Sheridan pushed all his 
.-L vidlories, to the utmost possihle limit of success. 
Tlie cavalry halted tliat night at Fisher Hill, with Gen. 
Dwight's First Division, Nineteenth Corps, at Hupp's 
Hill, but started again at dawn, and continued the chase 
to Woodstock, sixteen miles from Middletown. 

The amount of material captured in this vi6lory was 
extraordinary. Forty-nine pieces of artillery, of which 
twenty-four had been lost by us and re-taken, while the 
others were Early's own. In addition, the rebels lost fifty 
wagons ; sixty-five ambulances, some of them marked 
".Stonewall Brigade;" sixteen hundred small arms, sev- 
eral battle flags, fifteen hundred prisoners,, and two thou- 
sand killed and wounded. Our loss was, Sixth Corps, 
killed, wounded and missing, twenty-two hundred and 
twenty-five ; Nineteenth Corps, twenty-four hundred ; 
Eighth Corps, eight hundred and fifty ; cavalry, two 
hundred and twenty-four. Total, five tiiousand eight 
hundred and ninety-nine. 



fcAkPAIGNtNG VVITh SHfeRIDAN. 233 

Of all the retrieved battles in history, this one seems 
the most remarkable. It is more wonderful than Shiloh, 
in this respe6l, that the abandoned arena was re-gained 
by the very men who lost it, without other aid than their 
own unwearied courage, guided by a master spirit. The 
only re-enforcement which the Army of the Shenandoah 
received, or needed, to recover its lost field of battle, 
camps, entrenchments and cannon, was one man — P. H. 
Sheridan. 

The rebel army rested in its entrenchments on Fisher 
Hill, but long before dawn, retreated to Newmarket. 
Rosser remained some hours as rear-guard at Fisher's 
Hill, but in his turn soon retreated, sharply pursued by 
our cavalry beyond Woodstock. He then established his 
line on Stony Creek, from Columbia Fiunace to Eden- 
burg, about half-way between Woodstock and Mt. Jack- 
son. Lomax drew back through the Luray Vallev, and 
took post in the narrow gorge at Milford, which he suc- 
cessfully held against Powell, covering Early's right flank 
beyond the Massanutten. 

November 9th, Sheritlan withdrew his army to Kerns- 
town, where it could find better quarters in the waning 
season, and a shorter line of supply, informed by his 
scouts of this movement, and thinking it might mean the 
detachment of troops to Petersburg, the next morning 
Early massed his whole army from Newmarket, and 
crossing Cedar Creek, advanced down the pike to Mid- 
dletown. Sheridan soon had his army in readiness for 
battle, and directed Torbert, about noon of the 12th, to 
move out the cavalry corps, Merritt's and Custer's Di- 



2;34 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

vision, to tlie right on the back and mitldle roads, against 
Rosser, and Powell to the left, on the Front Royal pike, 
against Lomax. Rosser was speedily driven across Ce- 
dar Creek by our cavalry, while Pennington, in advance, 
was so hotly pressed that Lomax was moved over to his 
assistance. Thereupon, Powell, falling upon McCaus- 
land's Brigade at Stony Point, routed it, driving it com- 
pletely across the Shenandoah, and through Front Royal 
up the Luray Valley, capturing its two guns and several 
caissons and ammunition wagons, besides twenty officers, 
two hundred and twenty- five men and two battle flags. 
Dudley's Brigade of the Nineteenth Corps, and a skirm- 
ish line of the Sixth Corps moved out in support of the 
cavalry, advancing three miles from the intrenchments, 
and the whole army was ordered to be on the alert for 
the 13th. 

Early had withdrawn under cover of the night, his 
rear guard of infantry being slightly harassed by Mer- 
ritt. He returned to his camp at Newmarket the 14th. 
Sheridan sent word to Grant on the following day, that 
Early's army had increased in numbers, and his inspec- 
tion reports indicated a large infantry force, but that he 
had withdrawn from Middletown. 

At the beginning of December, Lee called for the 
return of his Second Corps to Petersburg, for campaign- 
ing in the valley was ended ; whereas, it was still possible 
at Richmond. Grant called for the Sixth Corps, and 
both bodies started a division at a time. Not long 
afterward, Early broke up his camp at Newmarket, 
'leaving cavalry pickets and a signal party on Tree-Top 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 235 



Mountain, and moved his remaining infantry, Wharton's 
Division with the artillery aiul cavalry, back to vStaunton 
for winter quarters. December 9th, two brigades of 
the last division of the Sixth Corps left Kernstown, and 
Warner's quitted Monocacy tiie 12th, so tliat by the 
middle of tiie month the whole corps was again with the 
Army of the Potomac, adding new laurels to their grand 
record. Crook's command next departed, one division 
to City Point, and the other afterwards to West Virginia, 
to check the enemy's operations there. At the close of 
the year Sheridan had left of infantry only the Nineteenth 
Corps. The following spicy order was issued by Sheri- 
dan : — 

Headc^jarters Middle Military Division. 

The citizens of Winchester, and all other citizens within the 
lines of this army, are hereby notified that there is a legitimate 
channel, via the flag of truce, for communication with people in 
rebellion against the government; that all communication must 
go by this channel, and that it is best not to violate this order. 

P. H. SHERIDAN, 

Major- General Command iiis^. 

The following is the amount of property destroyed by 
.Sheridan's army in the valley : One hundred and one 
pieces of artillery, eighty-three artillery carriages and 
limbers, thirty-five caissons, five thousand and sixty- 
seven small arms, two anvils, twenty-three thousand 
rounds of artillery ammunition, one hundred and twenty- 
eight double sets of artillery harness, seven medical 



23() CAMPAlGisriiSTG WITH sheridAM. 

wagons, one hundred and thirty-seven ambulances, one 
liundred and thirty-one wagons, ten luuKhed and six sets 
of harness, fortj-nine battle flags, ten hundred and forty 
sets of horse equipments, four thousand two hundred and 
forty horses, one million and sixty-one thousand rounds 
of small-arm ammunition, five hundred and fifty-three 
mules, fourteen thousand one hundred and sixty-three 
small arms, three saltpetre works, eight saw mills, three 
box cars, one powder mill, six distilleries, one locomotive, 
seven furnaces, one hundred and twenty flour mills, one 
railroad depot, one woollen mill, twenty-three hundred 
barns, four tanneries, eigiit hundred and seventy-fom- 
barrels of flour, twenty-two thousand bushels of oats, 
four hundred and sixty thousand and seventy-two bushels 
of wheat, fifty-one thousand three hundred and eighty 
tons of hay, one liundred and fifty-seven thousand and 
seventy-six bushels of corn, five hundred tons of fodder, 
sixteen thousand four hundred and thirty-eight beef cat- 
tle, two hundred and fifty calves, four hundred and fifty 
tons of straw, sixteen thousand one hundred and forty- 
one swine, twelve thousand pounds of bacon, seventeen 
thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven sheep, ten tliou- 
sand pounds of tobacco, three factories, two thousand 
and five hundred bushels of potatoes, nine hundred and 
forty-seven miles of rails, one thousand six hundred and 
sixty-five pounds of cotton yarn. 

The campaign of the valley was closed, and the Nine- 
teenth Corps was to separate, after two and a half years. 
The First Division was placed in the department at 
Washington. These are the joint resolutions, tendering 



CAMPAKJNINC; WITH SHEKIDAN. 237 



the thanks of Congress to Maj.-Gen. Philip H. Sheridan 
and the olliccrs and men under his command : — 

Be it resolz'cd by the Senate and Iloiise of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, Tliat the 
thanks of Congress are hereby tetidered to Major-General Philip 
H. Sheridan, and to the officers and men under his conimand, 
for the gallantry, military skill and courage displayed in the bril- 
liant series of victories achieved by them in the Valley of the 
Shenandoah, and especially for their services at Cedar Creek, on 
the 9th day of October, 1864, which retrieved the fortunes of the 
day, and thus averted a great disaster. 

And be it further resolved, That the President of the United 
States be, and hereby is, requested to communicate this reso- 
lution to Major-General Sheridan, and through him to the 
otticers and soldiers imder his command. 

Approved February 9th, 1S65. 

Ordered by the Secretary of War. 

E. D. TOWNSEND, 

Assistant Adjutant- General. 

The Second Division, under command of Gen. Grover, 
was ordered to Savannah, Ga. Marching orders were 
received January ^th, and before dayhght the next morn- 
ing the division was groping its way through the silent 
streets to the outskirts of the town, where it awaited the 
arrival of the train at Stephenson's Station, five miles 
from Winchester. We were obliged to wait several 
hours in a cold rainstcM-m while the train was being 
made up. Then we were packed close in cattle cars. 
We rode to Baltimore, reaching that city on the morn- 
ing of the 7th. Upon arriving at Baltimore the division 



238 CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 

was quartered at Camp Carroll, near the old camp from 
which we had departed over two years before. 

The second division, Nineteenth Corps, left Camp 
Carroll January 13th. Marching through the streets of 
Baltimore, we took transports at the wharves. Stores 
were taken on board at Fortress Monroe, and at 3 p.m. 
on the 15th, the fleet took its departure for the South, 
arriving at the mouth of the Savannah river on the 19th. 

No large ships had been up the main channel through 
the obstruction since tlie occupation of Savannah by 
Gen. Sherman, and the undertaking was a delicate one. 
The men crowded the rigging and deck, l)arely giving 
tlie pilot a chance to see his course ; but had it been 
generally known that there were seventeen torpedoes 
still in the harbor, between the anchorage and the city, 
curiosity might not have been so active. 

The passage of the obstruction was successfully made, 
and the city reached before dark. The warehouses, the 
wharves, and the few citizens seen, all had a decayed, 
broken-down look, and the fog hanging over the river 
added to the gloominess of the scene. On the Mississippi 
and in tlie Shenandoah Valley, the men had seen the 
destruction produced by actual conflid; ; where the shot 
and shell had whirled through the air, and plunged into 
storehouse and dwelling. Here they saw the efle6ts of 
war on the prosperity of a thriving commercial city, 
which had seen no battle horrors, but which had been 
shut up within itself to live on its own resources. 

At this time Savannah presented a scene of desolation 
sacl to behold, even in an enemy's country. Pools of 



CAMPAIGNING WITH SHERIDAN. 239 



green, stagnant water, stood in the j^i'i'icipal streets, the 
beautiful squares had been stripped of tiieir raibngs and 
fences to build the shanties of Sherman's troops, who 
were encamped all through the city. The houses, as 
well as the stores, were closed and apparently tenantless. 
The broad avenues were deserted, except by passing 
soldiers. 

The night of January 27th the arsenal was set on fire, 
causing great destrutftion of property, and March 4th the 
brigade, under command of Col. Day, was placed on 
transports and sailed for Cape Fear River, running up as 
far as Wilmington. Returning, we passed Fort Fisher, 
arriving at Morehead City on the Sth. We foimd cars 
waiting, and rode to Newbern. April 9th found us at 
Goldsboro. under conmiand of Gen. Birge. Then came 
the news of Lee's surrender, and we could see the dawn 
of peace. 



■dmk^ 



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